


the world is vast

by wallstracktwo



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blowjobs, Bottom Louis, Corpses, Drugs, Graphic Description, M/M, Mentions of underage sex (not H or L), Minor Character Death, Murder, Of bodies, Suicide, Violence, please read the notes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:03:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21550645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wallstracktwo/pseuds/wallstracktwo
Summary: “I hate this. I fucking hate this so fucking much.” Harry began to cry. “She was only 17 for fuck’s sake. She had her whole life ahead of her! She should be researching colleges and skipping school to hang out at the mall. She should be playing with her little brothers and helping her mother in the kitchen with dinner. This is bullshit! Complete bullshit! I thought I could do this, I thought…”He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead he kicked the brick wall before collapsing against it, his head back, rain beating against his face, mixing with his tears.They stood in silence for a few moments before Harry looked to Louis. He saw the same sadness and sorrow as the night before. He felt the same connection, the same feeling that he and Louis were alike - both broken looking to belong.Or - The Killing Au
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 12
Kudos: 120
Collections: Bottom Louis Fic Fest 2019





	the world is vast

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based on the TV show, The Killing. It features murder, suicide, corpses, drugs, violence, blood - basically everything you would associate with a murder mystery.
> 
> Please use caution when reading this fic if any of the above are triggering for you. And feel free to reach out to me for a less graphic summary or scenes to skip.
> 
> If you've ever seen The Killing then you know the basics of this fic. I tried to stay true to the show, but also put my own spin on it. So a few characters are missing and the twist at the end is different as well.
> 
> If you've never seen The Killing then please do yourself a favor and watch it - after reading this fic of course!  

> 
> This fic was written as part of the BLFF on tumblr - so please check out the other fics in the collection!
> 
> Special thanks to Anna for beta'ing and Mari for helping me write the scene I hated the most - I couldn't have finished this without either of you!
> 
> I own nothing except the words (and mistakes) written below.
> 
> Please do not repost this anywhere. I am not allowing for any reposts or translations. Thank you for understanding.
> 
> Without further ado...
> 
> Enjoy!

::::::::::

He couldn’t help himself. 

He couldn’t.

He didn’t want to either.

He had held back for so long, for as long as he possibly could, but it was all becoming too much to bear. 

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes, the sensations. 

God, it was all so overwhelming, so overpowering and before he could stop himself, he found he was succumbing to it little by little - until he was free falling, drowning, reaching the point of no return.

He dug his fingers deeper into the hips of the man beneath him, gripping so tightly that he knew the bruises he was leaving behind would be the only reminder of their time together come morning. 

But he just couldn’t stop. 

Wouldn’t stop. 

He hadn’t felt this alive, this wanted, this needed, this desired in such a long, long time and it was taking everything in him to not ruin it by coming in .28 seconds.

There was something between them. A connection. A bond. An attraction.

It was intimate. It was personal. It was special. And he had felt it immediately. 

He knew in an instant that this man was different from any of his previous partners. This man was exceptional, remarkable and completely addicting.

He sucked in a long, deep breath as he pushed all the way inside, watching as his cock disappeared into the man who was holding onto the bed sheets under him. He was pulling the sheets off of the corners of the mattress, tearing them as he bent forward, his face falling into the pillow. Good. He had never liked these sheets anyway - one less thing for him to have to pack up in the morning.

This was not at all how he had been expecting his night to end, but he’d be damned if he was going to turn down a hard, hot, nameless fuck - especially on his very last night in town, his very last night in the state.

The fellow detectives from the Seattle Police Department that he had been working with for the past three years had insisted on throwing him a farewell party - even though he kept protesting, telling them over and over again not to waste their time or energy. He wasn’t even that close to the majority of them to begin with - they just wanted an excuse to throw a party. And so they had ignored his objections and once the email detailing the time and place was sent out to the entire precinct, there had been no turning back.

Siné, the Irish pub a few blocks over from the precinct, was a cozy place with a long bar and several tables scattered throughout. There was a dj booth, a karaoke machine and a cramped make-shift dance floor.

They all loved to gather together at the pub and let loose. Mainly after closing a case but sometimes they met and toasted an officer they had lost.

He hadn’t meant to be late to his own party, but as soon as he had started to get ready, he realized that he had packed away most of his clothes and therefore had no choice but to rummage through three moving boxes labeled ‘MISC CLOTHES’ until he had finally come across his favorite pair of black skinny jeans. It had then taken him emptying another two boxes before he decided on a white scoop neck shirt, letting glimpses of the black ink on his chest peek out.

“Do you have any idea how much we’re going to miss you around here? How much _ I’m _going to miss you?” A man came up to him, handing him another beer to replace the one that he had just finished. He placed the empty bottle on the closest table to him and took the one that was being offered.

“Aww, Payno, you’re not getting all sentimental on me now are ya?”

“Just a little.” He sighed. “I’m gonna miss you...you are an amazing detective and such a good friend and -”

He interrupted. “I’m gonna miss you too, Liam but I need to do this - for me. It’s time. I think we both know that.” He clinked their bottles together. “Bottoms up.” They each took a long swig of their drinks but something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye - a shadowy figure walking by, heading in the direction of the bar. He couldn’t help but notice the sway of the man’s hips as he passed - and that ass. 

That was an ass he’d love to get to know, love to get to worship, love to get to cherish. That was an ass that he would do anything for, be anything for.

He instinctively licked his lips as the visuals came into focus in his mind. “Thought this was a private party with just the precinct, who’s that over there?”

Liam turned to where the man was taking a seat at the far end of the bar. “That is your replacement, transferred over from vice and narcotics. Starts tomorrow.”

“What’s he doing here?” His eyebrows creased, nearly meeting in the middle as questioned his boss and friend.

“I invited him. Figured he might as well get acquainted with everyone, seeing as how he’s gonna be working with us all since you’re abandoning the precinct. And me.”

He sighed. “We’ve been over this Liam. I just can’t -”

“I know. I know. Look, I’m sorry. It’s just...god, you are _ so _ good at your job. You are by far one of the _ best _ homicide detectives I’ve ever worked with and I hate that you’re giving it all up, but,” he paused, placing a hand on his friend’s back, “I completely understand why you’re doing it and I know that you need to do what’s right for you. And after witnessing everything you’ve gone through over the past six months, I know that you need to put yourself first. Even if it means leaving Seattle. And me.”

He had met Liam on his second day as a detective at precinct 28. He was a brand new detective, having recently been promoted from an officer and Liam was assigned to be his supervisor.

Liam was older, more experienced and he was eager to learn as much as he could from the lieutenant. 

They became friends, sometimes blurring the lines between supervisor and friend. Liam would give him a lot of leniency in regards to his cases as well as room to make mistakes and bad judgement calls. But always with a sense of comradery and compassion.

He smiled. “Thank you for understanding. And look - we’ll still keep in touch, right? Besides, I’ll only be a plane ride away.”

Liam nodded. “Right,” he replied softly, both of them knowing that the promise of staying in contact would inevitably be broken. Their friendship was fragile - they had just begun to navigate the supervisor/subordinate aspect of their relationship and the added distance was only going to add more cracks to the foundation. 

One of them was eventually going to get tired of his calls and texts going unanswered until one day the calls and texts would just stop.

“Now. This is my party and I say no more sad talk. Besides, I should really go and introduce myself to the new guy. Gonna have to give him a head’s up on what he’s getting himself into.” He winked before continuing. “Let him know all your secrets, all the buttons he needs to push to get his way.”

Liam let out a chuckle. “Did I say that I was gonna miss you? What I actually meant to say was ‘fuck off.’” 

“Ha ha, very funny.” He held up his middle finger in response as he began walking towards the man who was seated alone on the stool closest to the jukebox. “Are you not having any fun?” He finished off what was left of his beer, placing the bottle on top of the counter before sitting down on the unoccupied seat next to the newest detective of precinct 28.

The man looked up. “Oh umm...yeah. Of course. Of course I am.”

Their eyes met and he opened his mouth to say something, but immediately closed it. Sitting next to him was by far the most exquisite man he had ever encountered. Even in the dim lights of the crowded bar he could see the undeniably beautiful shade of the man’s eyes.

He raked his eyes up and down the man’s body. He was wearing a lightly colored button down shirt - cream maybe? Or white? Possibly beige? It was hard to tell because the neon sign on the wall was casting different colors across the front. The sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, the outlines of a few tattoos on his forearms visible even in the dark. The top few buttons were undone and he was sitting close enough that he could see the unmistakable black ink across the man’s chest. Ink that he’d love to either touch or lick. Maybe if he played his cards right, both.

This man was beauty personified. Attractive. Sexy. Mesmerizing. He swallowed. Hard. “You know, you’re a really bad liar.” He let out a small chuckle. “You look absolutely miserable.” He motioned to the nearly full drink left abandoned by the man. “Don’t like your drink? I can get you something else. Pick your poison.”

The man pushed his glass further to the side. “It’s ok. Don’t bother, it’s just a plain soda anyway. I’m actually not much of a drinker.”

“Not much of a drinker huh?” He smiled. “Well you picked the wrong precinct then.”

“Wasn’t my decision.”

“Oh?”

He waited for the man to elaborate, but he never did, instead saying, “You know what? I should get going, this really isn’t my scene. I’m more of a...stay at home alone kinda guy.”

There was a sadness in his eyes as he was talking. There was sorrow in his face as he finished his sentence. 

He recognized it immediately. 

He had seen that same sadness, that same sorrow staring back at him in the mirror countless times.

That’s when he felt the undeniable connection to this stranger. The urge to protect him, the desire to make sure he was free from harm.

He could feel their connection. It was clear and obvious to him and he wondered if the man could feel it as well.

“So then why did you come out in the first place?”

The man shrugged. “Figured I should try and socialize. You know, make an effort to meet my new co-workers, but like I said -

“This really isn’t _ your scene.” _ He emphasized the last two words by holding up his hands and making finger quotes.

“Not at all.” He smiled a genuine smile for the first time since they had started talking. 

“What exactly is your scene then?”

The man raised one eyebrow. “You really wanna know?”

He swallowed again before nodding.

“Why don’t we get out of here and I can show you?”

He saw Liam watching them out of the corner of his eye as they made their way past the bar and through the crowd.

He ignored Liam’s gaze and instead concentrated on following the man, following that amazingly glorious ass into the cool October night.

As soon as they had stepped outside the man’s lips were on his. He tasted the sweetness of the soda as he licked inside the man’s mouth, pushing him against the brick wall.

They had stumbled into an uber and then fumbled up the stairs to his apartment, trying not to break apart for very long.

He struggled to open his front door, the man plastered to his back, kissing his neck and snaking his hands around to the front of his jeans.

He inhaled and silently thanked god as the door finally swung open and he pulled the man inside, slamming it behind them.

Pushing the man against the door, he reached down, grabbing the back of his thighs and inching the man up the wall. He could feel the man wrapping his legs around his waist as he connected their mouths again, already addicted to the taste and feeling.

He kicked a few boxes to the side as they made their way through the living room and down the hallway. 

Harry undressed the man, spending time licking and kissing every inch of his body - from his mouthwatering neck to his delectable stomach to his delicious ankles. Harry worshipped his cock and his ass, teasing him and keeping him on the edge of an orgasm until neither one of them could take it anymore, the man pleading for Harry to fuck him.

He pulled out and then slammed back into the man, leaning forward to whisper into his ear. “I wanna hear you.” He nibbled on his ear lobe before moving to his shoulder, biting it as he thrust deeper inside the man.

“Fuck! Right there! Don’t stop!”

He licked from his shoulder to the base of the man’s neck. “That’s it. Louder.”

He pulled completely out, turning the man underneath him onto his back. His breath hitched as he took in the sight - his hair was matted with sweat, his skin was flushed, his eyes were red. Yet he was the most beautiful man and being in his presence, being inside him was dizzying.

He leaned over and lined himself up, pushing inside slowly.

The man moaned, grabbing onto the headboard, tossing his head back.

He ran his hands down the man’s sides, gripping his hips as he slammed his hips forward.

“Fuck you feel so good.” He leaned forward, capturing the man’s lips. “So good.”

He felt the man clench around him and had to slow his thrusts in order to not come too soon. He wanted to watch the man underneath him fall apart first, he needed it, craved it.

He looked down and caught the man’s eyes. There was an undeniable spark between them and had the circumstances been different he would get the man’s name and number and ask for a repeat of tonight.

But he was leaving for good and so as much as he wanted to get to know the reasons sorrow and sadness filled the man’s eyes, he wanted to relish each moment they were together.

He felt the man tighten around him, reaching out and taking a tight hold of his forearms as he reached his climax.

He couldn’t hold back and a moment later followed the man over the edge.

He pulled out slowly and went to the bathroom to clean up and get a towel for the man but when he got back the bed was empty and the echo of the front door slamming closed filled the room.

::::::::::

Driving through the streets of Seattle at six o’clock in the morning should be uneventful. Should be quiet. Should be calming. Most people are still asleep or are just waking up to get themselves ready for another day of work. The hustle and bustle of rush hour hasn’t started yet - it’s peaceful, serene even.

Driving through the streets of Seattle at six o’clock in the morning to a potential crime scene is the complete opposite of peaceful and serene. There is anticipation in the air of what could possibly be waiting when arriving. An uneasy feeling of what one could be walking into. What terrors and nightmares are lurking.

And driving through the streets of Seattle at six o’clock in the morning to a potential crime scene with a non-stop pounding headache bordered on hell. He hadn’t drank enough the night before to have a full hangover, (especially knowing he was on-call the next day) but he had had just enough for his head to have started throbbing as soon as he woke up.

Seattle Homicide Detective Harry Styles pulled up to the fire road on the eastside of Discovery Park, trying not to slam the car door too loud as he climbed out - the two aspirin he had downed with his first cup of coffee of the day before leaving home not having any desired effect yet. 

“It’s my last day, it’s my last day, it’s my last day,” he chanted to himself over and over again, rubbing his fingers in circles over his temples as he approached the group of officers that were already gathered in a small clearing about 50 feet off of the dirt road.

The call had come at approximately 5:45 a.m. and it had taken everything he had to force himself to roll out of his warm, cozy bed. He kept reminding himself that all he had to do was get through one last, final shift and then he would be headed to the airport where he would board a plane that would take him away to his new life in California.

As he got closer he spotted his supervisor and best friend Lieutenant Liam Payne talking to - _ oh._

_ Oh._

_ Oh no._

“Styles. Meet you replacement - again. Detective Louis Tomlinson.”

He finally had a name to put to that beautiful face. Those mesmerizing eyes. Those magnificent lips. That awe-inspiring ass.

Louis.

Even his name was pretty. No, more than pretty - stunning, lovely, charming.

How in the world was he expected to get through the day when every time he looked at Louis he would be remembering their night together? 

He would remember the way Louis looked underneath him - writhing and shaking, grabbing onto the headboard as he came all over both of their stomachs. The way Louis sounded - moaning, begging, pleading to be fucked harder and deeper. The way Louis tasted - sweet, salty, sweaty. The way Louis felt - warm, tight, clenching around him.

Not like he could _ ever _forget.

Standing next to Louis, he remembered it all - every single sinfully pleasing, ravishing, overpowering detail of their time together and how he wanted nothing more than to experience it all again. Over and over and over again.

He swallowed, holding out his hand. “Detective.” They shook and Harry immediately felt the same spark from the night before when their lips had first touched outside of the pub. It was the same electricity, the same fire. His eyes met Louis’ and he could see that the other man was feeling it too.

They reluctantly released their hands as Liam began the briefing, Harry doing his best to shake off the feeling. To shake off the butterflies that were fluttering around in his stomach. To shake off the lump that was forming in his throat.

He hadn’t felt this way since...well he wasn’t sure he had ever felt this way. Had ever felt such an unmistakable pull to someone so quickly.

And it scared, yet excited him. A small voice crept in and reminded him that he was leaving in a mere twelve hours and whatever he felt - or thought he felt was pointless since he would be gone by morning.

“Call came in around 5:10 this morning. Man named Ian Mayfair was jogging through the park when he noticed something in the clearing. As he got closer he realized it was a sweater and that it was covered in blood and decided to call the police. Haven’t found a body yet, but we’ve got a team sweeping the field looking.”

Harry looked over and watched Louis as he jotted down notes in a small notebook, nodding along to everything that the lieutenant had relayed so far.

He didn’t mean to stare, but he simply couldn’t help it. Louis was immensely attractive - sexy and rugged yet at the same time, beautiful and soft. He was wearing a pair of dark colored dress pants and a button down shirt, complete with tie. As he took in all of Louis, Harry silently cursed his last minute decision to throw on a pair of worn blue jeans and a gray hoodie he had picked out of the pile of dirty clothes littering his bedroom floor.

Louis seemed out of place standing amongst the other officers. If Harry didn’t know that Louis was a homicide detective already and someone asked him to guess what Louis did for a living, he would say that maybe Louis was a drama teacher. He could imagine Louis standing in front of a classroom, debating with his students as to whether what Romeo and Juliet felt was love or lust. He pictured Louis directing teenagers and helping them with their lines as they rehearsed _ Macbeth _ or _ Othello._

Harry wondered what treasures hid behind those amazingly blue eyes. He had caught a glimpse of sparkle for a brief moment only hours ago as they had tumbled together onto Harry’s bed, but just as quickly as it had appeared - it was gone, replaced with a harshness that tugged at Harry’s heart.

Harry had known heartache, had known it since he was twelve years old and he would never wish something like what he had experienced onto someone else. Especially someone like Louis.

Yet Louis seemed as though he had known his fair share of heartache as well. Something in his eyes told Harry that they were similar - alone, battered, bruised, aching to belong. 

There it was again. Harry at first noticed the heartache, the sadness when they were talking at the bar. It was one of the things that had drawn him to Louis to begin with. That, plus his amazingly sculptured ass.

He shook his head, images and thoughts of Louis going out of focus and to the back of his mind.

Today would be his last day as a member of the Seattle Police Department, well of any police department really. He was ready to give up his badge, ready to move away and start his life fresh and developing feelings for someone just wasn’t in those plans. No matter how deeply he seemed to be feeling connected to Louis or how badly he wanted to scratch the surface and discover what made Louis tick or how desperately he wanted to wrap Louis up in a warm blanket and protect him from seeing any more awful, terrible things in this cruel, unforgiving world.

“...also an ATM card registered to a Stanley Larsen was found a few feet from the sweater and so Styles…” He turned to Harry and motioned to Louis. “I need you to take Tomlinson and track Mr. Larsen down and see how he fits into all of this. The rest of you, let’s start a sweep of the field, looking for anything else that can lead us to the owner of the sweater.”

“This should be handed off to Sex Crimes, Lieutenant. There’s not even a body.” Harry spoke up as the other officers began breaking away from the crowd and scouring the field for any sign of the owner of the sweater or ATM card.

“You’re still on the county’s dime until six,” Liam started, “so take Tomlinson and go talk to Stanley Larsen.”

Harry sighed, resigned to the fact that he would be spending at least the next few hours with the hottest, sexiest, most passionate one-night stand he had ever experienced. Awkward didn’t even begin to describe his current situation.

He started walking towards his car, Louis dragging behind. “Do you want to leave your car here or -”

“Don’t have a car. I rode over from the precinct with Lieutenant Payne so I guess you’re my ride...if that’s ok?”

“Yeah...yeah, of course. Get in.”

They sat in silence for a brief moment, neither of them knowing how to address the metaphorical elephant sitting in the backseat. Harry decided it was best to ignore it for now, taking out his phone and dialing into the station. 

“Jill? It’s Harry. I need you to get me the address of a Stanley Larsen.” He began spelling out the last name for her. “5204 Magnolia Street.” He motioned for Louis to write down the address. “Nope, that’s all, thanks so much.” He disconnected and dropped his phone into the empty cup holder between them. “Ready?”

Louis nodded as Harry buckled his seatbelt and began pulling out of the park, turning onto State Route 15, which would take them back towards the city.

After what seemed like an eternity, Harry cleared his throat, breaking the silence that had fallen over them.

“So...why homicide?”

Harry turned up the speed of the windshield wipers, attempting to clear away the rain as quickly as it fell. 

Louis sighed. “I needed a change. Narc was good for a while but it...it gets to you, gets into your blood, gets into your head. Takes over. There’s only so much a person can handle before they...break.” He said the last word so quietly that Harry wasn’t sure he had heard correctly at first.

“Yeah…”

Before either of them could elaborate any further, Harry stopped in front of a modest light yellow colored ranch-style house. They got out of the car, approaching a brunette woman who was unloading the trunk of a red Ford F150 pick up truck.

“Are you Mrs. Larsen?” Harry asked as they reached where she was standing.

She looked up. “Yes.”

“We’re looking for a Stanley Larsen.”

“That’s…” she paused, looking from Harry to Louis and then back again. “That’s my husband.”

“Do you know where we can find him?”

Creases began forming in her forehead as her breathing picked up. “He’s out on a job. Cedar Court I believe. What’s this about? Why are you asking about Stan?”

Harry identified he and Louis as detectives, asking if Mr. Larsen had been home all night

“Yes. We didn’t get home from our camping trip until after midnight and went straight to bed.” She pointed to the trunk. “We were so tired that we didn’t even unpack the car.”

“And he was home all night?”

She nodded. “Yeah, he was knocked out cold as soon as his head hit the pillow." Picking up a fishing pole and tackle box, she walked into the garage and put them down on what appeared to be a workbench.

Harry pulled a card out from his wallet. “Could you have him call -” He stopped as he noticed a pink bicycle when she turned and began walking back to the trunk where the two detectives were standing.

Louis must’ve noticed it as well because he asked, “Mrs. Larsen, do you have a daughter by any chance?”

::::::::::

“She didn’t go with you?”

“No, she’s 17. She wanted to stay at home and go to the Halloween dance with her friends, not go camping with her parents and little brothers.”

Louis and Mrs. Larsen were sitting at the small wooden table in the Larsen’s kitchen while Harry stood in the doorway, leaning against the wall. She had invited them in before calling the high school where her daughter, Rosie, attended in the hopes that she was sitting in her dreaded first period Spanish class. That this was all some misunderstanding and Rosie would be able to explain it all away. She was told that the principal would call her back as soon as she was able to locate Rosie.

“When’s the last time you talked to your daughter, Mrs. Larsen?” Louis asked, his notebook laid out on the table in front of him, his pen in hand waiting to write down her answer.

“Umm...friday night. She ate dinner with us before her best friend Sterling came to pick her up for the dance around 7.”

“And you haven’t spoken to her since?”

She shook her head. “No. We were out of range in the mountains. Look, she’s almost 18. It’s not like we left a child alone. She was spending the weekend at Sterling’s house.”

Louis scribbled something in his notebook as Harry looked on. “What was she wearing Friday, when you last saw her?”

“Jeans and a sweater. Umm...a pink sweater. She said only freshmen wore costumes.”

Louis and Harry exchanged a glance across the room, their eyes locking.

The phone rang and Mrs. Larsen picked it up immediately. “Hello.”

Louis stood up, crossing the room to where Harry was standing. “What are you thinking?”

He ran his fingers through his hair, sighing. “I’m thinking we need a K9 unit out to that field as soon as possible.”

Mrs. Larsen hung up. “She’s not at school. The principal talked to Sterling. Rosie wasn’t with her this weekend. The last anyone saw her was Friday night at the dance.”

They both turned to her, Harry speaking first, rapidly asking her questions. “Does she have a history of running away? Did you have words with her, get into a fight? Or maybe she stayed with another friend? A boyfriend?”

She shook her head. “What? No. Rosie would never run away. Sterling is her only friend and she broke up with her boyfriend a few months ago.”

“You weren’t worried when you didn’t hear from her all weekend?”

Mrs. Larsen shook her head again and sighed. “No. I know that sounds horrible, but Rosie has always been trustworthy and responsible. She’s a good girl - gets straight A’s, never gets into any trouble. So when she asked if she could stay with Sterling for the weekend, her father and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. I just figured her and Sterling would be busy doing all the things they loved to do, all the things teenage girls enjoy doing.”

Louis nodded before taking a deep breath. “Mrs. Larsen, does Rosie have any scars or birthmarks?”

::::::::::

Fort Washington High School was built in 1984 and sat on top of a hill near the outskirts of Seattle. It had been renovated a few years back with a second floor having been added to accommodate the number of students which steadily increased each year.

It was a typical American high school, where football reigned supreme and everyone wanted to be a part of the ‘in crowd’. 

Mrs. Meyers, who had been the head principal for the past eight years, led Harry and Louis down the long corridor towards the cafeteria.

As they approached a row of lockers, the bell rang and hundreds of students began spilling into the hallway.

They were so busy trying to navigate through the crowd that neither of them saw the petite brunette teenager who bolted in the opposite direction and out of the building as soon as she spotted the detectives. 

“There it is, room 203.” Mrs. Meyers pointed to a room on the right side of the hall past the row of lockers. “Mr. Ahmed, teaches English literature. Sterling and Rosie have him second period.”

They both followed her as she crossed the threshold and approached a tall light skinned man who Harry estimated was only a few years older than his students.

She walked back over to them, with the young teacher behind her. “Sterling’s not here. But Mr. Ahmed was one of the chaperones at the Halloween dance, maybe he can help?”

They stepped into the hallway and Harry began his line of questions. “Do you remember what Rosie was wearing?”

“Yeah. She was dressed like a witch - black hat, a wand, low cut black blouse.”

Louis jotted his answer down in the small black notebook he had pulled out from his back pocket as Harry continued asking questions.

“Did you see her leave with anyone? Boyfriend maybe?”

“I didn’t, I’m sorry. The gym was so crowded and I was busy trying to wrangle kids back in from the hallways. I don’t think Rosie had a boyfriend. Rumor was that her and Kris broke up over the summer and I’ve only ever seen her with Sterling.”

“Kris?”

The teacher nodded. “Kris Echols. He and Rosie got close towards the end of junior year, but like I said, they broke up over the summer.”

“You sure she didn’t go home with you?”

Mr. Ahmed looked at Harry, staring at him intently. “I didn’t see who she left with or when she left, but I stayed at the dance until it was over, helped clean up and then I went home - to my wife.”

“We’re gonna need to talk to your wife.”

::::::::::

Louis hung up the phone. “Stan Larsen’s alibi checks out. The campsite keeps a record of all vehicles coming and going. The Larsen’s truck was there all weekend, meaning he never left. I’m going to send a car over to Sterling’s house, see if either her or Rosie are there.”

“Good idea. We should be at the park in a few minutes.” They drove the rest of the way in silence. 

When they arrived, Harry and Louis found the K9 team deep in the woods of Discovery Park.

“Anything?” 

One of the officers began explaining what the dogs had found so far. “Her scent starts on the fire road up there where the jogger found her sweater.” He pointed to where a line of police cars were parked. “Looks like she zigzagged through the field before stopping by that cluster of trees, ending at that huge log in the middle. No signs of any burial sights yet, just some animal bones. Maybe a dog or a small deer.”

Harry’s phone started ringing. “Styles.”

He hung up a minute later. “That was Payne. Rosie’s with her ex, Kris. Turns out Stan Larsen caught Sterling running out of the high school and got her to confess that Rosie and Kris were still seeing each other off and on and that Rosie left the party with him Friday night.”

“Has anyone actually talked to the Larsen girl?” Louis asked.

“No but her father is on his way to the boyfriend’s house to pick her up.” Harry turned to the officers still looking through the woods. “Ok wrap it up, we’re done here.”

Louis took a few steps towards the path before stopping to examine the map he was holding in his hands.

“Look, Louis, we’re finished. Case closed. The girl is safe, although she’ll probably be grounded for the next twenty years and I’ve got a plane to catch so can we -”

“Isn’t Puget Sound down the hill, behind us?”

“Yeah but according to the K9 dogs, Rosie was nowhere near the sound.”

Louis motioned to a group of teens walking past the row of parked police cars. They were carrying fishing poles and tackle boxes. “Then where are they going?”

Harry grabbed the map from Louis’ hands, pointing to something. “That path leads to...a lake.”

They stared at each other for a brief moment. “Dive team?” Harry couldn’t respond verbally, he simply nodded softly in agreement.

::::::::::

The sun had just set, the sky lit up in blues and grays and even a hint of purple. It was the perfect backdrop for a romantic evening stroll by the lake.

Unfortunately, the circumstances bringing Harry and Louis to the lake were the complete opposite of romantic.

The dive team had found a car and now they were setting up lights and a crane to pull it out of the murky water.

Slowly the crane began coming to life and after what felt like years, a dark blue Corolla was lifted from the lake and set down on a clear patch of grass several feet away from the water.

Harry and Louis each took a side of the car and with their flashlights peered inside, making their way from the engine all the way to the trunk.

“Can you open it?” Harry asked as they approached the back of the car.

A member of the forensics team that had arrived shortly after the car had been pulled out of the water nodded. He opened it and a collective gasp could be heard.

Harry saw the butterfly necklace that Mrs. Larsen told them Rosie’s dad had given her for her 16th birthday. A necklace that she wore every single day without fail. He saw the necklace and knew at once that it was in fact Rosie Larsen.

He reached into the water with a gloved hand and pulled out a gallon bottle. The label read “ammonium hydroxide.” He handed it to a forensics analyst who bagged it and put it in a box to be taken back to the lab for testing.

Louis’ walkie crackled, a voice announced that Mr. Larsen had just pulled up to the roadblock they had set up at the beginning of the path leading to the lake.

“I’ll go,” Harry said softly, only Louis hearing him.

Louis nodded in response and Harry began walking to the area where officers were holding Stan Larsen back.

“You can’t be here Mr. Larsen.”

“Is it Rosie? Is it my baby girl?” he cried out, tears streaming down his face. “Is it Rosie? Is it her? Please tell me it’s not her. Please.”

Tears welled up in Harry’s eyes as he took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. You can’t be here.”

“Rosie!” he yelled out as he fell to his knees, banging his fists on the ground. “Rosie!”

Harry turned and took about a dozen steps before he stopped and closed his eyes. Tears fell, soaking his jacket as he felt arms wrap around him and hold him tight.

He knew who it was without opening his eyes and laid his head on Louis’ shoulder, enclosing his arms around Louis’ waist before sobbing.

“This is why I can’t stay. This is why I have to leave.”

Louis didn’t say anything in return, just held Harry as he cried. For the first time in a very long time Harry felt something he thought he would never feel again - he felt warm, he felt protected, he felt loved. 

Mr. Larsen’s yells for his daughter echoed out into the night as the two men stood in the dark, desperately holding onto one another.

::::::::::

The long corridor seemed extra long as four pairs of feet shuffled past closed doors. After passing the third door, they stopped in front of the one with the word ‘Morgue’ stenciled on the frosted window.

Harry opened the door and let the Larsens enter first, he and Louis following behind and closing the door gently. He led them to a table in the middle of a room. 

He knew without a shadow of a doubt that under the blanket was the body of Rosie Larsen. He hated this part of the job. Hated putting families through it. Hated having to be a part of it.

He took a deep breath as he reached out, grabbing a hold of the blanket and looked to the Larsens. 

Mr. Larsen nodded and Harry lifted the sheet. Mrs. Larsen collapsed into her husband’s arms, both of them sobbing as Harry gingerly replaced the blanket.

“Can we -”

“Take all the time you need,” Harry said abruptly before storming out of the room, down the hallway and out into the night. He stopped when he heard Louis calling his name.

Rain began to steadily fall as Louis caught up with him.

“I hate this. I fucking hate this so fucking much.” Harry began to cry. “She was only 17 for fuck’s sake. She had her whole life ahead of her! She should be researching colleges and skipping school to hang out at the mall. She should be playing with her little brothers and helping her mother in the kitchen with dinner. This is bullshit! Complete bullshit! I thought I could do this, I thought…”

He didn’t finish his sentence. Instead he kicked the brick wall before collapsing against it, his head back, rain beating against his face, mixing with his tears.

They stood in silence for a few moments before Harry looked to Louis. He saw the same sadness and sorrow as the night before. He felt the same connection, the same feeling that he and Louis were alike - both broken looking to belong.

He sighed before deciding to bare his soul. “I had a breakdown a few months ago. Wound up checking myself into the psych ward.”

“Harry. You don’t have to -”

“I want to.”

Louis nodded, letting Harry know it was ok to continue. It was ok to trust him. It was ok to be himself.

“Shelby Maguire. Four years old. Her parents were in the middle of a custody battle over her and the judge on the case ruled that the father should have visitations even though he was abusive towards both Shelby and her mother.” He paused. “So her mother had no choice but to drop her off at her father’s one Friday afternoon, kissed her good-bye, told her she loved her and would see her Sunday night.”

Louis walked over and leaned against the wall next to Harry as he continued.

“Sunday night she goes to pick up Shelby, only no one answers the door. She dials the father’s number and can hear his cell phone ringing inside the apartment. So she calls the police who rush over and get the super to unlock the door. They found Shelby in her bed, shot twice in the head. Then found the father in his bed, shot himself in the head. Her mother fainted and had to be taken to the hospital. She wound up being sedated.”

Harry took a deep breath, wiping the tears from his cheeks. “I sat with her and every time she woke up, she kept asking for Shelby. I had to tell her over and over again that Shelby was gone. It was like she refused to accept what had happened, like she was in complete and utter denial. The hospital released her a few days later and I drove her home and walked her up to her apartment. I made sure she got into bed and told her I would stay with her until her mother got there. I left her in the bedroom, went to get her a glass of water and as I walked down the hall I heard a gunshot. I rushed back and found her. Diane was her name and I couldn’t save her. I failed her.”

Louis turned to face him. “Oh god Harry. How could you think that? How could you possibly think you failed her? You did everything that -”

He shook his head. “I didn’t though. I shouldn’t have left her alone. I knew she was fragile. I should have…” He began sobbing. “I should have -”

Louis wrapped his arms around Harry, reassuring him that he wasn’t alone. Harry had felt the need to want to protect Louis and keep him safe - was it possible that Louis felt the same way towards him?

“I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t sleep, wouldn’t sleep...every time I closed my eyes I would see Shelby’s body or Diane’s body and so I refused to close them. I snapped at everyone. I could feel myself spiraling. So I wound up checking myself into the psych ward and stayed for a month. I got out and slowly started working again. But then about two weeks ago I got a call - Diane’s mother had killed herself. And I knew as soon as I hung up the phone that I couldn’t do this anymore. I couldn’t let anyone down ever again like I had Shelby and Diane and her mother. So I walked into Liam’s office, gave my notice, broke my lease, packed up all my shit and called my friend Niall, asking if I could crash on his couch while I sorted out my life. Finding Rosie’s body and then seeing the Larsens in there just now solidified my decision to leave.”

“Harry. I think everyone would understand if you can’t see this case to the end. If you need to leave for California now I’m sure that Liam would understand and let you go.” Louis soothed his hair, holding him close as he cried - for Shelby, for Diane, for Louis, for himself.

That’s how Liam found them. He cleared his throat and they broke apart immediately.

“We ran the plates. The car belongs to the Richmond campaign. Oh and the Larsens are ready. Styles you take the father, Tomlinson the mom.”

They followed Liam back inside and made their way to the interrogation rooms. Harry grabbed Louis’ hand and squeezed. “Thank you...for listening. No one except Liam knows. Most just think I was on vacation visiting my ill mother for a while when I was...you know. So...thanks.”

Louis gave him a genuine smile. “Anytime you need to talk, I’ll be there to listen. And thank you for trusting me enough to share your story.”

Harry reluctantly let go of Louis’ hand and turned to walk towards the interrogation room where Stan Larsen was waiting. He met Liam’s eyes. The look was intense. The look was knowing and Harry immediately shuffled past him and into the room, taking his seat across the table from Stan Larsen.

“Can you think of anyone who might have done this? Ex-boyfriend maybe?”

“No. Her and Kris were never really serious. They went on a few dates before Rosie broke it off a couple of weeks ago. Before the school year started.”

“Was she into politics?”

“Politics? No not really.”

“Why did Rosie have your ATM card, Mr. Larsen?”

“I left it for her, so her and Sterling could order a pizza or go get their nails done or buy…” His sentence trailed off, replaced with tears.

Harry gave Mr. Larsen a few moments to compose himself before he led Mr. Larsen out into the hallway where Louis was waiting with Mrs. Larsen. Liam motioned for both of them and they excused themselves.

“I need you to get in contact with Darren Richmond.”

“I can do it,” Louis offered.

“No offense but I need Styles to do it. With the political nature of this case? The mayor’s going to be watching our every move. She was found in the trunk of one of councilman Richmond’s campaign cars. I need experience, I need i’s dotted and t’s crossed. I need Styles.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I already handed in my paperwork Liam, I don’t work here anymore. I can’t work here anymore.”

“You do until I sign off on it. You found her. I need you Harry. Please. Just give me 24 hours. Look, the car keys were found in the ignition, could be somebody inside the campaign.”

Harry sighed. “24 hours, not a minute more.”

He led Louis to the bench where the Larsens were sitting. They stood as the detectives approached. “When can we bring Rosie home?”

“Soon,” Harry answered.

“Why were you asking about politics?”

“We’re looking at every angle. We’re going to be sending a unit to your house to go through Rosie’s room. Go home. Get some rest. And again, I’m very sorry for your loss. Mr. Larsen, Mrs. Larsen.”

Mr. Larsen turned to Harry. “Will you find who did this?”

“We’ll do our best.”

He turned to Louis. “Will you find who did this?”

“Yes,” he replied softly.

Harry and Louis watched as the couple walked out of the precinct, then Harry locked eyes with Louis. “I have a 17 year old sister, I would want reassurance from the cops.” 

Harry laid his head on Louis’ shoulder for a few moments before bursting out into laughter. “I just realized I don’t have anywhere to stay. I’m supposed to be in California right now.”

“Stay with me. I have a pull-out couch.”

“You sure?” Harry asked.

“Yeah. Of course.”

Harry nodded, silence falling upon them. Each of them knowing that Harry would not be sleeping on Louis’ pull-out couch that night. They knew it in the car on the ride over to Louis’ place when Louis put his hand on Harry’s thigh and he in return put his hand on top of Louis’. They knew it in the hallway outside of Louis’ apartment when their lips met, Louis deepening their kiss almost immediately, moaning and gasping into his mouth. And they knew it in Louis’ bed when he pushed deep inside, his fingers gripping Louis’ hips tightly, darkening the bruises he had left the night before.

::::::::::

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us last minute, councilman.” Harry shook his hand before sitting in the office chair opposite him.

“You really didn’t give me much of a choice, did you detective? What’s this about anyway?”

“Last night we pulled one of your campaign cars from a lake in Discovery Park. In the trunk was the body of a missing teenage girl, Rosie Larsen.”

Harry watched for Richmond’s reaction. He was handsome, charismatic, not a hair on his head was out of place, not a wrinkle on his clothes to be found - a really handsome man with high political aspirations. And Harry disliked him, thought he was fake, insincere and disingenuous. 

“Oh god. That is horrible.”

Harry tried to refrain from rolling his eyes into the back of his head at the way Richmond had responded to the news.

“Did you know Rosie Larsen?” Louis asked.

He shook his head. “The name doesn’t sound familiar.”

“We’ll need a list of all campaign volunteers,” Harry said as he watched Louis scribble something in his small notebook. “We’ll also need to know who had access to your vehicles.”

“Absolutely. Jamie can get you anything you need.” He motioned to a petite ginger-haired man who had been hovering over Louis’ shoulder since he had sat down. He had introduced himself as Jamie Wright, the campaign manager for Richmond’s mayoral run.

“Where were you this weekend, councilman?”

“Friday night I was in Tacoma. Then back here. Attending several fundraisers and campaign events. Jamie and I were together all weekend.”

“So Friday you were campaigning out of town?” Louis seemed confused as he questioned the councilman.

“No, I was taking a much needed break. I can provide you the name of the bed and breakfast. The owner can confirm I was there.”

“The owner was with you all night?” Louis asked.

“I was.” The only woman in the room finally spoke up. She was a beautiful young woman with blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. “Gwen Eaton. Campaign advisor.” She paused, looking to Richmond briefly before continuing. “I was with the councilman the entire night.”

The detectives exchanged a glance and nodded. “What exactly does a councilman do?” Louis asked and as Darren began explaining, Gwen stood up and crossed the hall to the other office opposite from the councilman’s where Jamie was sitting behind his computer, pulling up the documents that Harry had requested.

Harry tuned the councilman and Louis out as he watched through the glass doors as what looked like a very heated argument between Gwen and Jamie took place. He couldn’t hear what they were saying because the door was closed but she was very clearly upset - her hand motions and facial expressions giving away her emotions.

Jamie in turn seemed to be yelling back at her and slammed his fists down onto his desk. 

Harry made a mental note to himself to look into the relationship between Jamie and Gwen more. 

They thanked the councilman for his time and walked downstairs to the parking lot. They met with the operator of the parking lot who explained to them that the campaign car Rosie had been found inside of had been reported stolen by a couple of campaign workers early Saturday morning.

“Who drove it last?” Harry asked.

“According to the police report...” Louis flipped to the second page. “A female volunteer last Thursday, been on the lot until it was reported stolen.” 

“Why were the keys in it?” 

Louis let out a small chuckle. “They leave it like that, operator says it makes it easier for the next person to drive off.”

They climbed back into Harry’s car. He looked to Louis. “Are we really going to find out who did this?”

“Yes.” Louis reached over and ran his thumb over Harry’s cheek, bringing their lips together. “Promise.”

Harry closed his eyes, losing himself in the feel and taste of Louis. He only had a few more hours with Louis and wanted to relish in as many moments like this as he possibly could before he left behind his life - and more importantly, Louis in Seattle.

::::::::::

They left the campaign parking lot and headed to the high school in the hopes of talking to both Rosie’s best friend Sterling Fitch and her ex-boyfriend Kris Echols. When they arrived they were surprised to learn that Kris had been expelled from school during the first week because of drugs and alcohol. They were able to speak with Sterling however.

“I drove us to the dance and we hung out but then I lost track of her. I looked everywhere for her but couldn’t find her.”

“Why did you lie about seeing Rosie leave the dance with Kris?” Harry asked.

She sighed, fidgeting in her seat. “She had just started seeing someone...an older guy. I didn’t want to get her into trouble with her parents so I told Mr. Larsen she was with Kris. She must've met up with this older guy she’d been seeing and went back to his place. She was gone all weekend so I just thought...you know…”

“What older guy? Not Kris?”

“No. She was done with Kris. She never told me his name, only that he was older and into politics so she had to keep their relationship a secret.”

She began crying. 

“It’s not your fault, her disappearing.”

Sterling got up and headed back to class. Harry turned to Louis. “What do you think?”

“I think she’s a scared teenager who didn’t want her best friend to get into trouble for running off with an older man. An older man who fits Darren Richmond’s description to a tee.”

Mrs. Meyers led them to Rosie’s locker where they boxed up all of the contents to take back to the station with them.

::::::::::

Louis rummaged through the box sitting on top of the desk. “All Rosie had in her locker were books and notebooks. And for some strange reason, these high heels.” He took the bag out and placed it in front of Harry who didn’t look up.

Harry nodded as acknowledgment and turned to the second page of the report that he was reading. “According to Rosie’s cell phone records she only called her parents phones, home, her aunt and Sterling. Not much of a social life for a 17 year-old girl. Good girl with no secrets.”

“Well I wouldn’t exactly say that. She lied to her mom about her Halloween costume. And these.” Louis held up the bag containing the shoes from her locker. “There is no way she could afford these, they’re easily two thousand dollars.”

“How do you know that?”

Louis shrugged. “Sisters.”

“Ok, so maybe the older guy Sterling mentioned Rosie was seeing bought them for her?”

Louis walked over to Harry’s side of the desk and leaned against it. Harry wrapped his arms around Louis’ waist, pulling him closer, Louis nearly falling into his lap. They both began laughing but then stopped when they saw Liam approaching the doorway. They broke apart as Liam crossed the threshold and entered the cramped office that Harry and Louis were sharing.

“So where are we with the Larsen case?” Liam asked.

“Well...bad news.” Louis started. “Richmond’s alibi checks out, he _ was _in Tacoma with Gwen Eaton. The owner of the bed and breakfast confirmed Richmond and Eaton checked in at three in the afternoon and had dinner in the dining room around seven thirty before returning to their room for the night. We’re looking into the possibility that Richmond is the older man that Rosie was seeing, but so far we haven’t been able to find any connections between them.”

“More bad news.” Harry added. “Larsen’s employees at the flooring company all cleared as well. No red flags. Talked to Mrs. Ahmed who verified that her husband got home from the dance around midnight.”

“Now for the _ really _bad news - Richmond is going to issue a press release.” Liam added, “I need you to get over to his office and stop him.”

Harry headed over to the campaign offices while Louis headed back to the school to look around and talk to the rest of Rosie’s teachers.

“Maybe I didn’t make myself clear, councilman. You can’t issue that press release. Hold off and I will personally tell the press how cooperative you were. If not I will tell the press how you and your campaign obstructed a child’s murder investigation.”

“You have until midnight.”

“Here’s my card, Detective Tomlinson will be taking over the investigation tomorrow. And thank you councilman.”

::::::::::

“What’d you find?” Harry asked as he approached Louis who was standing in the hallway outside Mr. Ahmed’s classroom.

“Absolutely nothing. All of her teachers had nothing but compliments and praises. She was the perfect student,” Louis answered.

Mrs. Meyers led them into the classroom which was filled with approximately thirty students.

“My name is Detective Styles and this is my partner, Detective Tomlinson. We just have a few questions to ask you all.” He motioned to Louis.

“Did anyone see Rosie Larsen leave the dance Friday night? Maybe you saw her get into a car?”

None of the students offered up any information and after an hour of asking the same questions over and over to high school students without any luck, they were feeling discouraged.

“Ok, ready to go?” Harry asked as they stepped outside the front doors of the building. “I have to finish packing up all my stuff from the precinct before my flight.”

“Umm...actually I think I’m gonna stick around.”

“Why? We didn’t get anything from those kids. Or the teachers. Seems like a dead end to me. I think we should be looking into Gwen and Jamie - they’re hiding something. Didn’t you see the way they were arguing with each other?”

“Well.” Louis looked at his watch. “As of five minutes ago this is no longer your case.”

“Oh. Yeah. You’re right...well, good luck Louis.” 

“Yeah, you too. I hope you find what you’re looking for in California.”

There was an awkward, uncomfortable silence between them. Neither seemed to want to make the first move, neither wanted to say their final good-bye.

Harry sighed, willing himself not to cry and began walking down the front stairs of the high school, then paused halfway, turning and rushing back up to Louis.

He wrapped his arms around Louis and crashed their lips together. They kissed for a few moments before Harry broke away, running down the stairs like Cinderella after the clock struck midnight, leaving Louis standing on the steps of the school with tears streaming down his face.

::::::::::

“Got a minute?”

Harry looked up from his desk to find Liam knocking on his office door. “Sure. C’mon in.”

“What’s going on between you and Tomlinson?”

“What? Nothing.”

“Bullshit, Harry. I know that you left the bar with him the other night and I’ve seen the way you look at him, the way you watch him, the way you steal little touches and glances when you think no one is looking. And he does the same with you - he watches you, looks at you with hearts in his eyes. Every single time I walk by this office you two are looking at each other or touching each other. In the three years that I’ve known you I’ve _ never _ seen you let anyone get close. Not even _ me _. And especially not this quick. What do you even know about him anyway?”

“It doesn’t even matter what I know or don’t know about him since I’m leaving in a few hours. We had a good time together and he’s a really good guy and he’s going to make a really good detective. Let’s just leave it at that, ok? So...did you actually need me for something?”

“Autopsy report.” He dropped a folder onto the desk. “Cause of death is drowning. Time of death is somewhere between Friday night and Monday morning. Coroner can’t narrow it down anymore because of the water, same with rape.” Liam sighed. “Rosie was alive when the car went into the water. She ripped off her fingernails trying to get out of the trunk.”

It was Harry’s turn to sigh. “I’m not staying, Liam. I can’t stay.”

“I need you to close this case, Tomlinson can’t handle this - not yet anyway. Just until the end of the week. City hall is breathing down my neck.”

“Not my problem.”

“Actually it is, you’re on the city’s dime until the end of the week.”

“You’re fucking kidding me right?”

“I’m really not. I need this case closed - now. And you are the best detective for the job. The _ only _ detective for the job. I’m not asking, Harry.”

Harry stormed out of his office into the hallway, stopping as he caught sight of Louis being handed an envelope of money from a tall, bald man. A man that Harry had never seen before, yet Harry thought looks vaguely familiar. 

Louis pulled out a stack of what appeared to be one hundred dollar bills, fanning them out and counting them before stuffing them all back into the envelope and shoving it into his pocket. He shook hands with the man and turned around to find that Harry was watching him.

“Poker winnings.” Louis laughed then stopped as he saw the frustration and confusion written across Harry’s face. “Hey. What’s going on? Are you ok?”

“No. No I’m not. Fuck Liam, fuck you, fuck everyone!”

“Harry?”

He walked down the hall and into the bathroom, Louis following, calling out his name. “Harry! Wait!”

“I can’t do it Louis, I can’t stay here. I need to leave Seattle. Liam wants me to stay the rest of the week but I can’t do it.” His breathing began to increase.

Louis cupped Harry’s face. “Hey look at me. Breathe. It’s only a few more days, you can do it. I’ll be here every step of the way. But if you can’t…”

“I want to close this case. I do. I’ve never left a case before, but…”

“Hey,” Louis said softly. “It’s ok. I’m here.” He caressed Harry’s cheeks. “I’m here.”

“I don’t even have a place to stay.”

“With me. Stay with me.”

“I’ve only known you for a few days, why are you being so good to me?” Harry asked.

"Because you deserve it.” He brought his lips to Harry’s. “You deserve the world and I want to give it to you. Come back to my place,” Louis whispered into Harry’s mouth. It wasn’t a question but Harry answered yes anyway.

::::::::::

“What made you want to become a detective?”

Harry let his fingers trace over the black ink of the tattoo on Louis’ chest as Louis asked the one question Harry had been dreading he’d have to answer since they met.

“My sister,” he replied softly, his fingers reaching down and intertwining with Louis’.

They were laying in Louis’ bed, wrapped in each other, listening to the rain beating against the bedroom window.

Harry knew what Louis was doing - he wanted to get to know Harry more and as much as Harry wanted that he knew he’d be gone by the end of the week. Was it really fair to Louis to start something that he was going to have to end in a matter of days?

On the other hand, no one had ever treated Harry the way that Louis had. He made Harry feel safe, protected, secure. He listened to Harry and allowed him to air his thoughts, his concerns, his feelings.

He didn’t judge Harry, no matter the subject - ex-boyfriends or his time in the hospital or even silly things like ordering pineapple on his pizza or him blasting Britney Spears in the car or watching ‘The Notebook’ for the fifteenth time.

Louis was good to him. Good for him. And Harry wanted to keep Louis. But how? Their lives were heading in different directions. Harry let his mind wander to a time and place where their lives would allow them to be together.

For now Harry was determined to be in the moment with Louis and to enjoy every moment with him - regrets and mistakes would have to wait until later.

“She was killed when I was 12. By a jealous, crazy ex-boyfriend.”

“Oh my god Harry. I am so sorry, how old was she?”

“20. She had been dating Jasper for a little over a year and things had been going great. Her life was going great,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper softly.

“We don’t have to talk about -”

Harry leaned up on one elbow, looking down at Louis. He shook his head. “No. I want to, I do. It’s just...no one really knows outside of my family and Liam. I’ve never told anyone about her. I’ve never talked about her...with anyone.”

“I would be honored if you would tell me about her then - whatever you want to share.”

He took a deep breath before beginning. “Her name was Gemma and she was my world. My cooler, hipper older sister who always let me tag along to the mall or movies. She was in her last year at the University of Washington. She had been studying physical and occupational therapy and wanted to become a physical therapist, working with children and teenagers.”

Louis reached up and brushed a few loose strands of hair off of Harry’s forehead. The small act warmed Harry’s heart and he couldn’t help but smile down at Louis.

“She and Jasper hit a bit of a rough patch as she was getting ready to graduate. He seemed jealous that she had her life planned out after graduation while he was floating from job to job, still living with his parents. They were fighting a lot and Gemma had told our mother she was going to break-up with him, thinking maybe being separate for a while would help him get his life and priorities in order.”

Louis pulled himself up so that he was leaning against the headboard of the bed, their fingers coming apart only for a few moments as Harry shifted and sat up straight.

“She tried to break up with him several times.” Harry went on. “But each time he bullied and begged her for another chance, promising her he’d change, he’d be a better man. Of course they were empty promises and things began getting worse between them. Finally she reached her breaking point and ended things between them for good.”

“Harry. You really don’t -”

“No, I want to. I...trust you and I want you to be the first one that I tell, the only one.”

Louis simply nodded as Harry swallowed. “Jasper sat outside of the hospital where she had been interning day after day, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Then finally he got it. She had been walking to her car and he tracked her down and shot her three times before fleeing the area. She was gone before they even got her upstairs to the ER.”

He wiped away the tears that had fallen across his cheeks. “Everyone knew who had done it, who had killed her. The detectives were closing in on him in record time. Just as they were about to arrest him - he shot himself.”

“Oh Harry.”

“I wanted to become a homicide detective to get justice for families just like mine. Families that never got justice because of cowards like Jasper Ames. Cowards who took the easy way out. I wanted him to rot away in jail for the rest of his life for what he had done to Gemma, for what he had taken away from her, from us. I wanted him to pay for what he had done and so I vowed to become the best homicide detective I could possibly become and to help as many families get the justice they so rightfully deserve.”

He felt Louis give his hand a reassuring squeeze and it made Harry feel a thousand times better. For once in his life he wasn’t in this alone, he had someone who was beside him, someone supporting him, someone listening to him and it made all the difference in the world.

He had been so broken for so long, but now it felt different. It felt as though his cracks were being mended, his pieces being put back together.

“I also wanted to become a detective for my mother. After Gemma’s death she became distant and cold - to everyone. She shut me out, she shut my stepfather out and when he couldn’t take it anymore, he left. And then she left - as soon as I graduated from high school. She moved away to Montana, hoping that being in the country she would be safe, that no crime would ever find her again. I thought becoming a detective would make her proud, make her want to be a mom again. But it did just the opposite. The last time I talked to her she yelled at me, telling me that I was going to end up just like Gemma because I chose to put myself in danger and in the line of fire on a daily basis. So I stopped calling and haven’t talked to her in over three years.”

“Oh Harry, I am truly sorry.”

“Don’t be, I’m better off -”

“No. I’m not sorry for you, I’m sorry for her.”

Harry’s eyebrows seemed to give away the confusion that he was feeling inside. “I don’t understand. Why would you feel sorry for her?”

“I feel sorry because she’s missed out on watching you become one of Seattle’s best detectives. She’s missed out on seeing you become a kind, compassionate, considerate, thoughtful, sympathetic man. She doesn’t know how truly wonderful of a person you are or how many families you’ve helped or how much love you have to offer. And so I feel sorry that she hasn’t seen what a remarkable, amazing, extraordinary man you are and how much I -”

Harry leaned over and brushed his lips against Louis’. 

“Thank you. For everything. For listening, for what you just said.”

Louis smiled. “I hope you know that I meant every single word.”

“What about you?” Harry returned the smile. “What made you want to be Detective Tomlinson?”

“To be honest - I didn’t really have much of a choice. My dad was a cop, my grandfather was a cop, all my cousins are cops, two uncles on my mom’s side, three on my dad’s - all cops. It was expected and pretty much a given that I would follow in their footsteps - so I did.”

Harry laid down, placing his head on Louis’ chest as he continued. “I did exactly what I was supposed to - joined the academy and began working my way up the ladder. I impressed the right people and got promoted to vice and narcotics. My first undercover job was horrible. I had to lie to everyone - my parents, my sisters. But then after that it got easier to lie and deceive and little by little I began losing their trust. I completely lost whatever trust was left when I hurt my youngest sister and my parents cut me off from both of them.”

“I had no idea.”

Harry wanted to ask Louis how he hurt his sister, ask what he had done to make his parents basically disown him. Harry’s curiosity almost got the best of him. 

But he didn’t want to push Louis to open up or divulge anymore than he was willing to - not yet. He could tell that it was difficult for Louis to trust people and since they were just getting to know each other, Harry didn’t want to do or say anything to jeopardize their relationship - it was precarious and Harry wanted to protect it - and Louis.

Louis ran his fingers through Harry’s hair. “How could you have possibly known? I eventually hit rock bottom and was given an ultimatum. I chose to get myself together, but couldn’t go back to vice and narcotics, so hoping for a completely fresh start, my supervisor transferred me to homicide.” He leaned over and caught Harry’s lips in a chaste kiss. “And so far it’s been the best fresh start that I could’ve ever asked for.”

“You’re such a sweet talker, aren’t you?” Harry climbed on top of Louis, sliding him down so he was flat on his back on the bed. “Bet that’s not all that’s sweet about you, huh?”

Harry’s heart skipped a beat as he looked down at Louis. He had never wanted to protect someone as much as he wanted to protect Louis. Had never wanted to be with someone as much as he wanted to be with Louis. Had never wanted someone as much as he wanted Louis. He was hopelessly addicted. And it both scared and excited him.

But there was a nagging voice in the back of Harry’s mind - he couldn’t stay but would Louis go with him?

He brushed it off as Louis reached up and caressed his cheek, his fingers running down his neck and chest.

Louis’ lip curled into a deep smirk as Harry’s fingers began inching in between Louis’ legs. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

::::::::::

“I already told you, man. I didn’t do anything to her! You can’t keep me here. I know my rights.”

“If you know your rights then you know that we can keep you for 96 hours, which is four days. So get comfy because you’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”

Harry shut the door behind him, drowning out Kris Echols’ yells and crossed the hall to find Louis sitting at his desk. 

He stood in the doorway watching Louis read through what looked like a police report. His heart skipped a beat. He was falling hopelessly in love with Louis. He couldn’t stop it, didn’t know if he wanted to stop it.

Louis looked up and gave Harry a small, hopeful smile. “Anything?”

Harry shook his head. “No. He’s not giving up much. He confirmed that he and Rosie were together but that she broke up with him when he got mixed up with the wrong crowd. Other than that, nada.”

“Shit. I really thought he did it. The campaign parking lot is just a few blocks away from the skatepark. He could have stolen the car Friday night and picked up Rosie from the dance.”

“I agree,” Harry said. “I thought so too. Thought he gave her some bad stuff, she OD’ed and he freaked out, dumped her in the lake. But he claims he was in jail all weekend.”

Louis handed Harry the report he had been reading. “He was.”

Harry glanced quickly through the papers. “Well that’s that then.”

“Should we let him go?” Louis asked.

“Nah. Let him sit and stew about it for awhile, he deserves after making me chase him through the skatepark.” He paused. “You ok? I noticed you didn’t sleep well last night.”

“I’m fine. Just not used to sleeping next to someone. It’s been a long time since I had anyone sharing my bed.”

“Oh.” Harry’s eyes widened. “Well why didn’t you say something? I can sleep on the couch? Or get a hotel room?”

“Hey.” Louis stood and crossed to where Harry was standing, taking Harry’s hands into his. “I just said that I’m not used to it. I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I actually enjoy having you in my bed. A lot.”

Harry smiled. “Is that all? Just in your bed?”

Louis returned the smile. “No.” He kissed Harry. “I enjoy having you in my life. I enjoy being with you - bot in my bed and out of it.”

He took Louis’ face and began peppering it with kisses. “The feeling is very much mutual.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Louis paused. “Do you want me to come with you to talk to the Larsens? About the cause of death?” he asked, although they both already knew what the answer was going to be.

Harry nodded, reaching for Louis’ hand and intertwining their fingers as they began walking towards the exit of the precinct.

::::::::::

“She drowned?”

Harry nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell us about the politician? About it being his car?” Stan Larsen questioned. “We had to read about it in the paper.”

“I know and I’m so sorry. That should never have happened. We’re looking into how the media got that information.”

“Did he do it?” Mr. Larsen asked.

Harry sighed. “His campaign had a lot of cars and that one was reported stolen Saturday morning -”

“Did she...did she suffer?”

Harry and Louis exchanged a glance and Louis took over answering the questions that the Larsens kept asking. “We think she was most likely unconscious when the car went into the water so...no.”

“What can you tell us about Kris Echols?” Harry asked. “Did Rosie ever mention him to either of you?”

“She and Kris started seeing each other a few months ago. They only went on a few dates before Rosie called it off.” Stan paused. “She didn’t like that he changed, got himself mixed up with the wrong crowd. So she broke it off with him.”

“What about Rosie? Did she ever drink or use drugs?”

“What? No of course not. Why would you ask something like that?”

Louis spoke up first before Harry could answer. “We’re just trying to -”

The sound of glass hitting the floor echoed throughout the tiny kitchen. The three men turned to see Mrs. Larsen standing next to a broken drinking glass. “You promised you’d catch whoever did this.”

“And we will.” Louis reassured.

“When? When will we get some answers? When will we get justice - for Rosie? The boys don’t understand and I don’t either, so I can’t help them. Tommy still sets Rosie’s place at the dinner table and Denny keeps asking when Rosie is going to come home. I need you to help me understand who did this and why. So then maybe I can help them understand.”

They left the Larsens and as soon as Harry pulled the car away from their house Louis broke down.

“Hey.” Harry steered the car into the nearest gas station and shut it off. “Louis. Look at me baby. What’s wrong?”

“I just...I just keep thinking about Rosie. I have a 17 year-old sister and I just keep imagining her in Rosie’s place. In that trunk.”

Harry drew Louis in close, wrapping his arms around him. “Oh Louis. That is _ not _ going to happen. We are going to catch whoever did this before they can hurt anyone else.”

“I haven’t seen her in over a year. I haven’t seen either of my sisters since my parents cut me off. I just want...I fucked up Harry. I fucked up big time and I miss them. So much. I just...I wonder if they miss me.”

Harry pulled back and wiped away several of the tears that had fallen down Louis’ cheeks. “I know for a fact that they miss you. How could they not? You are the most amazing man I have ever met and there is no doubt in my mind that you were an amazing brother before whatever happened happened. I’m sure you’re going to win their trust back and become part of their lives again.”

“What about you? Will you miss me? When you leave?”

“Let’s not talk about -”

“About what? The fact that you’re leaving in a few days? Leaving me? Running off to California?”

“Louis, you know that I have to. I can’t -”

“You know what, just forget it. I’m sure you’ll be over me in a matter of days anyway, just like everyone else in my life.”

He opened the door, climbed out and slammed it shut behind him, storming off into the Seattle rain.

Harry got out and ran after him, calling his name. “Louis! Stop! Please! Just listen to me.”

Louis spun around. “Why should I? Are you going to stay? For me? In Seattle?” He paused for a moment and when Harry didn’t respond he continued. “Yeah. I didn’t think so. So please give me one good reason why I should stop and listen to anything you have to say?”

Harry stood, unmoving, unable to say all the things he longed to say. So he was left with no choice but to watch as Louis turned and began walking away from him, increasing the distance between them.

::::::::::

“Tox screen came back on the Larsen girl. No signs of oxy, e, heroin, not even alcohol. She was clean.”

“Fuck. That was not what I wanted to hear. I wanted to pin this on the ex.

“The bottle you found in the trunk was indeed ammonium hydroxide. There was just enough left in the bottom that I was able to test it. I found trace amounts on Rosie’s hands, especially under her nails. Her clothes were too damaged from the water to get any conclusive results. Ever hear of it?”

Both Harry and Louis shook their heads. “No. What is it used for?” Louis asked, scanning the report that Will Donahue, one of the precincts best forensics analysts had given to him just moments ago. 

“Cleaning, flooring, making bombs. Not something you want to mess around with.”

“Why would someone use it on a body?” Louis questioned.

“Does the job. Would explain why we didn’t find anything DNA under her fingernails and the results were inconclusive for sexual assault.”

“You said it’s used in flooring? How?”

Will nodded. “Yeah. It’s used as a flooring stripper or to stain wood.”

“Ok, thanks Will.” Harry shook his hand.

“Sure thing.” Will walked out of their office, leaving them to mull over the new information they’d just been given.

“Maybe Rosie is the victim of a serial killer. Lots of young girls go missing everyday from a big city like Seattle. Look into recent murder involving ammonium hydroxide.”

“Wait.” Louis rummaged through the folder containing what looked like a transcript of an interview one of them had conducted. He finally found what he had been looking for and read it over before looking up at Harry. “Stan Larsen owns a flooring company. He’d have access to ammonium hydroxide, wouldn’t he?”

Harry nodded in agreement. “And so would all of his employees.” He took a deep breath. “Louis. Can we...can we talk for a minute?”

“Unless it’s about the case I don’t think we have anything left to say.”

“You know that’s not true. Listen, I need to leave, to go to California. I can’t stay here. I just...can’t. You know I can’t. But I don’t want to lose you. So come with me. Please. I know that I’m asking a lot. More than I have any right to ask, but just...just think it over ok?”

He walked towards Louis, stopping in front of him. He reached out and touched Louis’ cheek. “Promise you’ll think about it? For us? For me?” 

Harry could see the same sadness in Louis’ eyes that had been there the first night they met. He hated that look and wanted to do anything and everything he could to make sure that Louis never felt or looked that way ever again.

But what if anything and everything meant staying in Seattle? Would he really be able to do _ that?_

Harry brought their lips together, pulling Louis in close. “Tell me what you’re thinking about.”

“How much I -”

Someone cleared their throat and they both broke apart from one another as they turned to see Liam standing in the doorway, a disapproving look on his face. He didn’t say a word, simply walked away leaving them both standing in silence.

::::::::::

_ Thud. _

Louis threw the folder he had been looking through onto the desk, slamming his fists down. “Fuck! We have _ all _ these suspects yet we don’t have _ any _suspects.”

Harry stopped reading and looked up. “Let’s run down the list, maybe we’re missing something.”

“I’ve gone down the list a million times.”

“If you’re gonna be a detective you’re gonna have to go over it at least a million more. C’mon, walk me through the suspects one at a time.”

Louis sighed as he stood up and began pacing back and forth in their small office. “First, Stan Larsen. His alibi checks out, we know he was in the mountains camping all weekend with his wife and sons. But - he owns a flooring company which gives him access to the ammonium hydroxide that we found under Rosie’s nails. We tried to get his records, invoices, receipts, anything really. But get this - the ceiling in his office leaked, destroying his papers, his computers, anything that would help us. However. Interesting tidbit we discovered - Larsen’s company is redoing the floors at Jamie Wright’s house. The same Jamie Wright who works for Darren Richmond’s campaign which could be our possible link connecting Rosie to Richmond. We found an invoice sheet and a signed contract between Larsen and Wright while we were looking through his work truck.”

“But,” Harry interrupted. “We rechecked all of Stan Larsen’s employees...everyone’s clean, no red flags.”

“We should go by Jamie Wright’s house and see if he has a bottle of ammonium hydroxide there.” 

Harry jotted down some notes on a yellow legal pad in front of him. “Ok. Who’s next?”

“Bennett Ahmed. Rosie’s English teacher. He chaperoned the dance but never saw Rosie slip out of the school. He stayed late, helping the PTA clean up. His wife confirmed he was home by midnight and that he was home the rest of the night. He and his wife went to a neighbor’s Halloween party Saturday night - tons of pictures on the wife’s cell phone prove he was there and then he took her to the movies on Sunday afternoon. Ticket stubs prove it - as well as a student named Tyler Revell who says he remembers selling Mr. Ahmed popcorn at the concession stand. Complete and utter dead end.”

“Who else?” Harry flipped the page. “How about Kris Echols?” 

Louis stopped pacing and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “We already know that he and Rosie were involved for a few months over the summer. But everything we’ve learned so far indicates they were over and done with by the time school started. He was picked up Friday at the skatepark for a drunk and disorderly. He spent the entire weekend in the drunk tank before his mom bailed him out Monday morning. She took him home where they got into an argument over his drug and alcohol use and he stormed off to his room where he spent the rest of the day. He’s a dead end as well.”

“Ok so we’re back to square one.” Harry dropped his pen onto the desk. “Everyone could have done it yet everyone is clean.”

“I still say Stan Larsen had something to do with it.”

“What? Why? Where’s his opportunity? We already confirmed that he was at the camp site all weekend, his car never left.” Harry leaned back in his chair, placing his hands on the back of his head. “What’s his motive? He left his ATM card with Rosie for the weekend so she could order pizza and get a manicure with Sterling. Not exactly the actions of a man who was planning to kill his daughter.”

Louis was silent for a brief moment. “Maybe be hired one of his employees?”

“There’s still no motive. He doesn’t strike me as the type to kill his daughter just because. He’s been completely distraught since the moment we pulled the car out of the lake and opened the trunk.”

“Well we still have Richmond and Jamie Wright possibly.”

“Yeah, except Richmond’s alibi is solid. Both the bed and breakfast owner and Gwen Eaton confirmed he was in Tacoma the entire night. And the car that we found Rosie in was reported stolen Saturday morning. So we have nothing concrete to tie him to the murder.”

“I still think he could have done it. I think he was having an affair with Rosie, would explain the expensive shoes we found in her locker. Maybe something happened and he panicked. Maybe Jamie helped him cover it up.”

“I doubt that. Jamie just quit Richmond’s campaign.”

“He quit? But why? That doesn’t make any sense at all. Richmond’s numbers are growing. He was just able to secure the coveted Yitanes endorsement, although I have no idea how he managed to pull that off considering the fact that a dead girl was found in the trunk of one of his campaign cars. So I doubt Jamie helped him cover up a murder just to turn around and quit the -”

“It makes perfect sense.” Harry leaned forward, leaning his elbows on the desk, reading something from his computer screen. “Hear me out.”

“Ok.” Louis shrugged, walking back to the desk and sitting down.

“First of all we have a connection between Richmond and the Larsens.”

“What? How? Why didn’t you tell me? What the fuck Harry?” Louis threw his hands up in the air. “We’re supposed to be partners for christ’s sake.”

“The email just came through a minute ago. Tech guys were able to access Larsen’s bank statement and found a wire transaction from Richmond’s bank account with a memo regarding floors.”

“What the fuck? Why didn’t Larsen say anything? Why didn’t Richmond? They’re linked and _ no one _ thought to say anything? Jesus fucking christ!”

“I wish I had an answer. But if they’re hiding something like this, there’s got to be more they’re hiding. So Richmond hired Stan Larsen’s company to redo the floors in his apartment. Maybe he met Rosie that way and started having an affair with her. Would explain the older man involved in politics that Sterling described. Maybe something happens. Maybe he _ finally _realizes sleeping with a 17 year-old is illegal and would ruin his entire political career, nevermind land him in jail. Maybe they have a fight and she threatens to expose him and their relationship. He kills her and call Jamie to hell him cover it up. So now Jamie decides to jump ship to Adams’ side, with all the ammunition he needs set and ready to use to take down Richmond at a moment’s notice.”

“Ok but if Jamie helped him then his hands are dirty as well. Wouldn’t Richmond turn around and expose him?”

“Not necessarily. If he plays his cards right, the mayor could make everything disappear and Jamie would be in the clear. We need to pay him a visit.”

“He has as an alibi though. He was home all night with his pregnant wife when Rosie disappeared.”

“I still want to talk to him - and the wife again.”

::::::::::

Elizabeth Wright was a very petite woman with a very round belly. She let Harry and Louis in, waddling in front of them as she led them down the hallway and into the kitchen.

“I don’t understand why you’re here again.” She began as she sat down at the table. “I already told you -”

“We know. We’re just double checking everyone’s alibi so that we can cross them off of our suspect list once and for all.” Harry explained.

Her eyes lit up. “Wait! You think Jamie’s a suspect?”

“We’re just crossing our t’s and dotting our i’s. There’s nothing to be worried about since you told us Jamie was home the entire evening.” Louis tried to sound as reassuring as he could and hoped that she would be convinced.

She nodded. “Well except when I woke up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and he was gone.” She began rubbing her stomach. “If this little one so much as moves an inch my bladder feels like it’s going to explode.”

Harry and Louis looked at each other, before Harry spoke again. “You said he was gone?”

“Oh yeah. He wasn’t in bed so I searched the house but he wasn’t here. And neither was his car.”

“Why didn’t you tell us this the first time we were here?” Harry asked, continuing. “When we asked you if he was home the entire night? Why did you lie to use?”

She shrugged. “Jamie told me not to say anything. He said it wasn’t that important, that he couldn’t sleep so he just went for a little drive.”

“He -” Harry began, but then decided not to finish his sentence. “You know what? It doesn’t matter right now.” She was petite, fragile and extremely pregnant. The last thing Harry wanted to do was to upset her and possibly induce an early labor. “Mrs. Wright, what is that smell? Are you having your floors redone?” Harry asked, although he already knew the answer. He wanted access, no, he _ needed _access to the room to see if there was a bottle of ammonium hydroxide there.

“Oh my gosh! Yes! The floors in the nursery were horrendous so we hired someone to redo them. Would you like to see the nursery?”

Louis smiled, “of course.”

She stood up. “C’mon. I’ll show you.”

They followed her down the hallway to a door on the left. She pushed it open and motioned for them to peek inside.

“You can’t go in, the floors aren’t done yet. Mr. Larsen said to give them another 24 hours before anyone can step on them. He’s going to come back tomorrow and check to make sure they’re all ready so that I can go in and start decorating.”

Harry leaned over to Louis. “See the supplies. No ammonium hydroxide. Mrs. Wright, did Mr. Larsen not use any ammonium hydroxide on your floors?”

She looked at him, cocking her head to the left. “What a funny question! He did, but Jamie insisted on getting it out of the house since it’s very powerful. He said he didn’t want it harming me or the baby. I think he put it in the trunk of his car or something.”

“And which car was that?” Harry asked, hoping she would give him the answer he was looking for.

“Oh, he's always driving a car from the campaign. He says it’s free advertising since Darren’s face is plastered all over them. It was probably one of them because I drive our car and Jamie wouldn’t put it in there since it’s very powerful -”

“You know what, Mrs. Wright? You’ve been so gracious and helpful, but we’ve taken up enough of your time. We should get out of your way so you can get some rest.” Harry was itching to get out of there and back to the station to insert the newest pieces of information into their case.

They thanked Mrs. Wright, who saw them out, leaving a card with her in case she happened to think of anything else.

As soon as they shut the car doors, they both began talking at once.

“Holy shit! He did it, Richmond killed her and Jamie helped!”

“We _ have _ to find Jamie. Now! They did it!”

They stopped, silence consuming them. Facing each other, Harry’s eyes flickered from Louis’ eyes to his lips as Louis’ flickered from Harry’s lips to his eyes. Their gazes met and Harry closed the distance between them, crashing his lips into Louis’.

Louis pulled away first. “Fuck. I am so sorry. I told myself I wouldn’t give in. Fuck.” He averted his eyes, turning his head.

“Louis,” Harry began. “Louis, please look at me. Please.”

Slowly Louis met Harry’s eyes.

“You feel it don’t you? This thing between us?”

Louis nodded.

“I want...Louis I want us. I want you. I’m just...I’m so fucking scared right now. I have never felt this way about anyone and it scares me how much I need you. I’m...I’m willing to take a chance on us but I need to know that you feel the same.”

“I do. I feel the same.”

They both let out sighs of relief before reaching out and wrapping their arms around one another.

“I don’t want to lose you, but I just...I don’t know how to keep you,” Harry whispered as he kissed the top of Louis’ head.

::::::::::

“You do know Darren left Gwen in Tacoma to pick Rosie Larsen up from the dance don’t you?”

“There’s no evidence of that,” Louis said matter-of-factly.

Jamie chuckled. “Do you really think that the man who’s about to be Seattle’s next mayor would leave a paper trail connecting him to the murder of a 17 year-old?”

“I don’t understand. Why did you quit Richmond’s campaign and jump ship to Adams?” Louis questioned. “And why are you so willing to throw Richmond under the bus if he’s going to be the next mayor?”

“Darren knew that someone was leaking information to the press about the Larsen murder - the car, the photos. He investigated everyone and found Mayor Adams had planted an informant in our campaign, our offices, so he figured we’d do the same thing. We formulated a plan for us to have a fight and for me to quit and for Adams to quote unquote woo me to his side. So now that I’m in, I can dismantle Adams’ campaign once and for all, ensuring Darren is elected mayor next month.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re telling us he supposedly left Tacoma in the middle of the night?”

“I have my own political aspirations.” Jamie smiled. “Once I’m Darren’s second in command I can take him down and lift myself up.”

Harry and Louis sat in silence for a moment. This was actually all starting to make sense in a weird, twisted way.

“Why didn’t you tell us that you knew Stan Larsen? We know that you hired him to redo the floors in your house,” Louis asked.

“I hired him _ after _ his daughter was killed. I felt bad for him. I have a child on the way and I would be devastated if someone happened to him or her - and the baby hasn’t even been born yet. I can’t even imagine what he must be going through.” Jamie paused. “I just thought I could get his mind off of it for a little while, keep him busy for a bit.”

“I’m not sure I understand,” Louis began. “Stan Larsen agreed to work for you and Darren Richmond, the man who’s a suspect in his daughter’s murder? Why would he -”

“He doesn’t know.” Jamie interrupted. “He has no idea that I work for Darren or that he’s redoing the floors at Darren’s apartment. I told him it was for my brother - which technically wasn’t that big of a lie since I consider Darren to be my brother.”

“But, wouldn’t Larsen have figured out the money was coming from Richmond’s account?” Harry questioned.

Jamie shook his head. “No since the money actually came from the campaign funds and it’s listed as a corporation. I told Stan that my brother owns his own company and he never questioned it.”

“Tell us again where you were the night Rosie Larsen disappeared and was murdered.”

“I already told you.” Jamie sighed. “I was home all night with my wife. The baby is due any day now and I need to stay close by in case she goes into labor. We had a quiet evening in, trying to relax as much as we can before the baby arrives.”

“And you were home the entire night?”

“All night.”

They thanked him for coming down to the station and as soon as he was out of earshot Harry turned to Louis. “He’s lying.”

::::::::::

Harry picked up the bottle and read the label before handing to Louis.

Darren Richmond saw both Harry and Louis passing the bottle back and forth to each other. “I’m in the middle of having all the floors in my apartment redone, the flooring company left all their supplies so they wouldn’t have to lug everything up to the tenth floor and back down again every day.”

“What flooring company did you hire?” Harry asked.

“I’m not sure, Jamie took care of it for me.”

“What would you say if we told you it was Stan Larsen’s company? As in Rosie Larsen’s father? As in Rosie Larsen, the girl we found in the trunk of one of your campaign cars?” Harry stopped and watched for his reaction.

Richmond was silent, his eyes wide and Harry could tell that he was truly surprised and honestly had no idea he was connected to the Larsens.

“Speaking of Jamie,” Harry continued, “he seems to be under the impression that you left Tacoma to come back and meet up with Rosie after the dance.”

“As I’ve already told you, I’ve never met Rosie Larsen. And as for Jamie.” He walked over to his desk, picking up a piece of paper and gave it to Harry.

He read it and then handed it off to Louis. “So _ Jamie _ is the one who’s been leaking information to the press from _ your _campaign? There is no informant from the mayor’s office? Jamie’s been trying to torpedo your campaign? He told us it was someone on Mayor Adams’ side.”

“He’s been trying to get on Adams’ good side. He’s been playing both of us, waiting and watching to see who’ll come out on top and positioning himself to be the second in command of Seattle. My communications director, Nathan, discovered several emails from Jamie’s account to the press and several others to reporters. Which is why I fired him.”

“Wait.” Harry paused. “You _ fired _ him? He told us a completely different story.”

Richmond sighed. “That doesn’t surprise me. I think Jamie is a very sick man who believes he’s doing the right thing when in reality he’s completely in the wrong and is only looking out for himself. I’m just sorry it took me so long to realize it.”

::::::::::

Harry threw his hands up in frustration. “This is getting us nowhere. Let’s go back over the campaign car again, we had to have overlooked something.”

“Do we have the gas records for the car?” Louis asked.

“Tank was…” Harry flipped through a few pages. “Looks like it was half full when it was returned to the campaign parking lot Thursday.”

“Are you sure?” Louis motioned for him to hand over the papers, wanting to have a look at them himself. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“What doesn’t?”

“The tank was almost full when we pulled it out of the lake. Richmond must’ve stopped at a gas station and filled it up. He could’ve used a credit card to pay for the gas. Maybe a security camera got him on tape.”

“Putting him in this car on that night, with Rosie and not in Tacoma.” Harry leaned over and kissed him. “You are a fucking genius.”

Louis’ smile disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. “We need a map so we can pinpoint all the gas stations from the campaign headquarters to the high school to the park and from the park back to the campaign parking lot.”

::::::::::

“The Larsens want you off the case.”

“What? Why?”

Liam sighed. “They’re not happy about the crime scene photos being leaked and they want Richmond arrested. Now.”

“We can prove that Jamie Wright’s been leaking information to the press. And we can’t arrest Richmond, not yet, we haven’t been able to tie him to the murder. But Liam, we are _ so close. _”

“Listen Harry, I am under pressure from all sides to wrap this case up and I think maybe you’re becoming too emotionally involved again - with the case and with Louis. I don’t want to see what happened with Shelby Maguire to happen again. You’re becoming destructive - you’ve never gotten romantically involved with a fellow detective before and I’m afraid you’re starting to spiral again. You should think about finishing up here. Tomlinson can take over and you can head to California.”

“What? You cannot be serious! Louis has been nothing but good to me, good _ for _ me and who I love is none of your fucking business! You can’t possibly be thinking about kicking me off the case? Not now when we’re _ this _close, I can’t leave now.”

“Love? So you think you love him?”

Harry was silent. Did he love Louis? He thought for a minute about how his life had changed in the short amount of time since he’d met Louis. Louis had made him feel safe, protected. He listed to Harry - genuinely listened, not interrupting with judgemental comments. Louis was good for Harry, making him want to be a better person. 

So did he love Louis?

Yes.

For the first time in his 27 years of life, Harry was in love. He genuinely, absolutely, completely, honestly loved Louis with all of his heart. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, like an unexpected blow to the face. He felt hot, dizzy, a little off-balance.

“You’ve known him for less than a week,” Liam continued. “You don’t even know anything about him. Have you asked him about narc yet? About what he did? And I don’t understand. You’ve been begging to go to California and -”

“No! _ You _ don’t understand!” Harry began to raise his voice. “You made me stay! You made me care! About Rosie. About the Larsens. About...Louis.”

“I made you? You can’t possibly blame me for -”

“I can, Liam. I can and I do. I am staying - to wrap this case - _ my _case up. And I’m staying for Louis because yes, I do love him. I really do.”

He stormed off, heading a few blocks over to the familiar Irish pub by the precinct.

::::::::::

“Hey.”

“Louis. What are you doing here?” He slurred his words, slamming down yet another shot.

“I think you’ve had enough.” He took the glass from Harry’s hand and placed it on top of the counter. “Come on, let’s get you home.”

Harry laughed. “All of my stuff is in a storage facility in California. I’ve been living out of two suitcases in the trunk of my car. I don’t have a home.”

“Yes you do. Your home is with me.”

He allowed Louis to take him home even though Liam’s words were ringing in the back of his mind. He allowed Louis to tuck him into bed even though everything was telling him it wasn’t a good idea.

What did he actually know about Louis? He thought he knew him, but maybe Liam was right. Maybe he didn’t know Louis at all.

But no. He did. He knew all about Louis’ sisters and parents and he knew how Louis felt and tasted and he knew that he loved Louis. He knew that he was willing to stay in Seattle and give them a chance. 

Yet, the little voice began to get louder and all Harry wanted to do was drown it out, push it down, silence it.

He wanted Louis. Louis wanted him, didn’t he? Could Harry ever be enough for Louis?

“Want to tell me what that was all about?” Louis’ voice interrupted his thoughts. “Getting drunker than drunk?”

“Liam.” He pulled back the blankets, indicating be wanted Louis to climb in with him. He wanted to pull Louis in, push Louis away. He wanted Louis closer and closer yet didn’t want him close at all.

The constant battle inside his head was taking its toll and today the side that wanted Louis close, to pull him in was winning.

“Oh?”

“We got into a fight. He was being a prick and said some things and I stormed off and wound up at the bar drowning my sorrows so to speak.”

Louis took off his shoes and climbed into bed. “Want to talk about it?”

He pulled Louis closer, nuzzing into him. “Not really. It was stupid. He just put his nose in where it doesn’t belong.”

“So that’s why you decided to drink your weight in tequila? Because of something stupid Liam said?”

“I don’t want to talk about Liam anymore. I want to talk about you and me.”

“Oh? And what about us?”

Harry closed his eyes, letting the alcohol flow through his blood, listening to Louis’ heart beating - both soothing him to sleep before he could answer Louis’ question.

:::::::::

Harry pulled up to the brick building which housed precinct 28 and was about to turn his car off when he saw Louis walking down the front steps of the building with the same tall, bald man that had given him the envelope of money. The money that Louis claimed he had won in a game of poker.

Louis got into the passenger side of a black car with the man and they began driving away.

Harry made the split second decision to follow them and pulled out behind the car, trailing for about ten minutes until it stopped in front of an old church building.

He waited for them to go inside before he entered and followed the sound of people talking. Not just anyone though, it was Louis. He pushed the door slightly open and could see Louis standing at a makeshift podium, addressing a group of about twenty people who were scattered around the room, most sitting in rows of folding chairs.

“Six months.” He paused, sighing. Harry tried squinting to get a better view at what he was holding in his fingers.

He went on. “I can’t believe I’ve been clean and sober for six months. I can’t thank you all enough for your support over the past six months. I couldn’t have done it without you, especially my sponsor Gil. He keeps me sane, keeps me sober and keeps my paycheck. He gives me what I need on a weekly basis so that I’m not tempted to walk into a bar and drink it all away or up to a dealer and snort it all, only to wake up in the morning with nothing but more regrets and an empty wallet. I don’t need more regrets because I already have the biggest one of all - alienating my family.”

Harry watched as Louis wiped a tear or two away from his eyes. When Louis hurt he hurt and he never wanted either of them to hurt ever again.

He wanted nothing more than to cross the room to where Louis was standing, wraps his arms around him and tell him exactly how he felt, how much Louis meant to him. But before he had the chance he heard Louis’ voice again.

“They should be here. They should be sitting right there.” He pointed to the front row. “But I lied to them, stole from them. I completely broke their trust and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to get it back - if I even deserve to get it back. I stole from my little sister, she was 15 at the time. Broke into my parent’s house while they were on vacation and ransacked my sister’s piggy bank, taking all of her hard-earned baby-sitting money that she’d been saving for months. Saving to buy concert tickets to see her favorite band. And I swooped in and stole it all from her. And I didn’t even spend it on anything good like a car or a house or even food. No. I snorted it all up in one night. I broke my sister’s heart for one night of pleasure.”

Harry watched as he played with what looked like a coin in his hand.

“But I’m better now though. I’m clean now. Six months.” He held up the coin he had been fidgeting with. “And I have a job that I love and that I’m somewhat decent at. Most importantly - I’ve met someone. Someone who makes me happy, makes me feel loved, makes me want to be an even better man and maybe at my next milestone he’ll be here, sitting in the front row next to -”

The sound of a cell phone cut through the room, causing everyone’s heads to turn. Harry looked down and saw it was his phone that had interrupted Louis’ speech. “Fuck.” He mumbled under his breath, looking back up and locking eyes with Louis. “Fuck,” he muttered again, turning on his heels and running up the stairs and out of the building.

He thought about getting into his car and driving away. But he couldn’t do that - he had just witnessed Louis at his most vulnerable, had invaded his most intimate thoughts and feelings uninvited. He couldn’t just pretend as if nothing had happened, couldn’t away as though hearing Louis bare his soul had meant nothing to him.

He had told Liam that he loved Louis. Yes it was fast since they were just getting to know each other and yes it was insane since they were both broken souls with broken hearts. But maybe, just maybe they could help each other mend their dents, patch their cracks, put themselves back together.

Harry wanted that, needed that. He needed Louis to help him become whole again, he needed Louis in his life, every day in every way.

As he watched Louis exit the building and walk towards him, Harry knew that it was time to find out if Louis felt the same.

Harry immediately apologized. “I’m so sorry. God Louis, I am so sorry. I should never have followed you. And I shouldn’t have eavesdropped on you. It was stupid and -”

“It’s ok. I...it’s just...no one knows this side of me. The recovering, fucked up, mess of a wannabe detective. But what you see is what you get, right?”

“Do I though? Do I get you?”

They stood on the sidewalk in silence. Louis was hesitating, looking as though he wanted to say exactly what Harry wanted to say. Harry could feel his heart practically beating outside of his chest - it was now or never.

“Louis.” He paused, tears welling up in his eyes. “Louis, I love you.”

Louis crashed his lips into Harry’s. “Oh god, I love you.”

He closed his eyes and the tears that had been threatening to fall, flowed easily, covering his cheeks. “Say it again,” he whispered into Louis’ mouth.

He could feel the ends of Louis’ lips curl into a smile. “I. Love. You.” Each word was emphasized with a kiss and Harry couldn’t help but send up a silent thank you to the stubborn detectives of precinct 28 for throwing that stupid going away 

Harry’s eyes shot open and he pulled away from Louis. “I can’t stay.”

“What?”

“In Seattle. I can’t stay.” He tried wiggling out of Louis’ arms, but Louis refused to let him go.

“Why?”

“The murders, the families, the...I have to get away. I have to go to California and get away from it all.”

“From me?” Louis asked, Harry sensing the bitterness in his voice. “You have to get away from me too? I thought...I thought you wanted me, wanted us?”

“I do, oh baby I do.” Harry’s eyes widened. “Come with me. Come with me to California. It’ll be a fresh new start for the both of us.”

“What about my sisters? My parents? I can’t leave, not without seeing them, not without making things right.”

“Then we’ll make things right.” Harry promised. “We will and then we’ll go to California together.”

Louis let out a small chuckle. “And when you’re sick of me in two months? Then what?”

Harry didn’t respond for a moment, letting Louis’ words wash over him. “I could never get sick of you,” he said softly, honestly, genuinely.

::::::::::

Standing in the darkened bedroom, Harry felt completely exposed even though both he and Louis were still fully clothed. Harry was so nervous and could feel his heart beating so fast. He felt as though it could burst from his chest at any moment.

They had been having sex pretty regularly since the first night they had left the bar together. Had been fucking almost every night. But tonight was different. Special. 

Harry was unofficially living with Louis, sharing his bed, yet up until now they had been tip-toeing around their feelings. However, after confessing their love for one another their relationship had shifted. 

It was apparent in the way that Louis looked at him, causing his heart to swell. It was apparent in the way that Louis touched him, causing his heart to feel full of love.

There weren’t any words to describe his love for Louis. Love seemed too simple but he didn’t know how else to explain it. 

He had never been in love before - he had gotten close once, but the way he felt about his ex was nothing compared to the way he felt about Louis.

He was glad that he and his ex hadn’t worked out, that they had broken up the previous year, that his ex had shown Harry his true colors - he probably never would have met Louis, certainly never would have fallen in love with him.

He took a tentative step towards Louis, reaching out for his hips, bringing him closer. “I love you,” he whispered, relieved that he was able to finally say out loud what he had been feeling for some time. Happy that he was able to tell Louis how much he meant to him. “God I love you more than you know.”

Louis’ entire face lit up and Harry knew in that moment that he would tell Louis every single day how much he loved him if it meant he could see him smile as bright as he was in that instant.

But there was still a small flicker of sadness in his eyes and it made Harry want to shelter him, safeguard him, take care of him so that he would never have that tiny bit of doubt, grief or sorrow ever again. 

Louis reached up, brushing his lips against Harry’s. “Well that’s good to hear since I love you too.”

Harry deepened their kiss, their tongues tangling. Their kissing was slow, as if they had all the time in the world. And that was perfectly fine with Harry - there was no where else he wanted to be and no one else he wanted to be with.

He felt Louis’ fingers running through his hair, softly tugging, a soft moan escaping from his lips and into Louis’ mouth.

Harry pulled back from their kiss, allowing them both to catch their breath. It only lasted for a brief moment before they reconnected, neither one of them wanting to be apart from the other for too long.

He slowly walked Louis towards the bed and laid him gently down, his hands resting on either side of Louis’ shoulders, his knees on either side of Louis’ hips

He reluctantly broke their kiss, leaning his forehead onto Louis’, their panting the only sound in the dark room.

Harry pulled his shirt from the back, yanking it off and tossing it to the floor before moving onto Louis’. He began unbuttoning each button painstaking slow, letting his fingers gently trace over the tattoos on Louis’ chest, kissing them and licking them as more and more skin was exposed.

Louis arched his back off of the bed sinfully as Harry reached for the waistband of his jeans, unzipping them and sliding them and his underwear off, throwing them somewhere in the darkness.

He stopped, taking in the sight of the man underneath him. His face was dusted in the silver moonlight streaming through the window and his eyes were full of stars, causing Harry to reach for his phone to take a picture.

Louis laughed. “What are you doing?”

“Immortalizing the love of my life.” It was such a simple, corny sentence, but he meant it from the bottom of his heart.

Louis was the love of his life, there would never be anyone else for him - Louis was it. The one that he wanted to fall asleep next to every night. The one that he wanted to wake up with every morning. The one that knew all his secrets, his dreams, his hopes. The one that he trusted with his life. The one that he would love until the day he died - and quite possibly even after that. The one that owned his heart.

Louis didn’t answer, but Harry could see tears welling up in his eyes and that was all the response he needed. Louis reached up, caressing Harry’s cheek. He closed his eyes, turning his face, kissing the inside of Louis’ hand, feeling so overwhelmed with emotion that tears of his own threatened to fall.

“Come here,” Louis whispered. Harry immediately obeyed, propping himself up on one elbow next to Louis and wrapping his other arm around Louis’ waist. 

They laid in silence for a few minutes, listening to each other’s breathing and heartbeats sync together. Harry's gaze burning with infinite love and passion into Louis' eyes.

“You’re it for me, you know?” Harry confessed, his fingers tangling in Louis’ hair. “You’re the only one I’ll ever want, the only one I’ll ever love. And I am so scared because I am such a fuck up. I’m damaged and broken and I’ll never be good enough for you. You deserve so much better.”

He began peppering Harry’s face with kisses. “Don’t ever say that about youself. You are everything that I’ve ever wanted. And in case you hadn’t noticed - I’m a bit of a fuck up myself.”

Harry kissed him passionately. He wasn’t sure exactly what he had done to earn the man next to him, to earn his trust, to earn his love. But he was committed to never losing Louis, holding onto him forever, cherishing him until his very last breath.

Harry blindly extended his arm, determined not to break their kiss, reaching out to grab the bottle of lube that had recently taken a permanent residence on the nightstand.

He unsnapped the top, trying one-handed to squeeze some onto his fingers, not wanting to let go of the hold he had on Louis. He saw lust and passion in Louis’ eyes as he took the bottle from him and opened it. Harry watched as Louis poured some lube onto his fingers, the blue in his eyes darkening with desire as he spread his legs, allowing Harry to move his hand down.

Louis shifted his legs, one on either side of Harry’s hips as he brought his hand lower and gently slipped one finger inside of Louis.

He felt Louis take a deep breath in and grab a hold of his arm, pulling him closer, his legs opening further apart as he pushed deeper into him, Louis letting out a soft, pleased sound.

Harry watched Louis for any signs of discomfort, but the moans that he was making told Harry that he was feeling content and when he opened his legs even wider, Harry took that as a sign to push his finger all the way inside Louis.

He joined their lips, soft kisses becoming languid as he gently added a second finger and began scissoring them, opening Louis slowly and delicately.

Tonight wasn’t about speedy, quick satisfaction.

Quite the opposite.

Tonight was about love, tenderness, intimacy. He wanted to show Louis exactly how much he loved, worshipped, craved him. How much he desired, adored and yearned for him.

Louis seemed to sense that Harry was taking his time learning Louis’ body, committing every touch, every sound to memory. He reached up and ran his fingers through Harry’s hair, resting them at the base of Harry’s neck.

Louis closed his eyes, opening his mouth, his breath increasing. Harry bent over, kissing Louis’ temple, softly whispering words of love and encouragement to him, as though it was a secret only the two of them were allowed to be privy to. “I love you so much. Love everything about you - your mind, your lips…” His mouth curved into a small smirk as he continued praising Louis. “Your ass, but most of all, your heart. You’re so wonderfully amazing, genuine and passionate. And I can’t believe that you’re mine.”

Harry was slow, deliberate and gentle in not only his motions, but also his words, wanting this to last for as long as possible, wanting Louis to understand how cherished he was. Harry didn’t want to rush, not tonight.

He inched his fingers deeper and knew he had found Louis’ spot when his eyes flew open and he let out a prolonged whimper, looking to Harry with pleading eyes.

He understood and began applying a bit of pressure as he rubbed his fingers back and forth, Louis curving his back slightly.

“So beautiful,” he whispered. Something about the darkness and quietness surrounding them made Harry want to keep his voice low, wanted it to be just him and Louis, shutting out the rest of the world. “So beautiful, just for me. Only for me.”

He watched as Louis’ chest begin to rise and fall with increased speed, his moans getting louder and more erratic as Harry nailed his prostate over and over again, flicking his wrist and curling his fingers. Louis began chanting his name over and over again, his voice laced with desire and that's when Harry knew that Louis was close.

“You’re going to come for me, aren’t you baby? Wanna see how beautiful you look.”

Louis bit his lip, his hold on Harry’s arm tightening, his fingers turning pale white as Harry continued. “Look at me. Let me see how pretty you are.”

He did as Harry asked, locking eyes with him as Harry rubbed against Louis’ spot faster, causing Louis’ body to spasm. He yelled out Harry’s name, coming untouched all over his stomach.

The way that Louis arched his back and moaned out Harry’s name was a memory that would stay with him forever. Watching Louis come undone from just his fingers was the sexiest thing that he had ever witnessed and he was willing to give up anything and everything to get to experience it over and over again.

Harry placed soft, tender kisses all over Louis’ face as he tried to catch his breath. “I am so in love with you.” 

He was rewarded with a delicate smile and heavy lidded eyes as Louis reached up, caressing his face. “I love you...so much,” he mumbled, sounding drunk, although Harry knew that Louis didn’t drink.

He eased his fingers slowly out of Louis, trying to be as gentle as possible. He peeled his jeans off, wiping his fingers onto them, tossing them aside as he leaned over the side of the bed to grab the shirt he had shucked off earlier. He cleaned off Louis, placing soft kisses and licks across his stomach, eliciting a lazy giggle from Louis before flinging the shirt back onto the floor.

Harry reached over to the nightstand, opening the drawer, searching for a condom before Louis placed his hand on top of Harry’s, stopping him. He crinkled his face in confusion as Louis shook his head. “Not tonight.”

Realization suddenly hit him and his eyes grew wide. “Are you sure? I mean, this isn’t something that we’ve discussed.”

“I’m clean as long as you are...I’m sure. I want this, want you, all of you.”

“I am.” Harry nodded. “But I’ve never done...Louis are you really sure you want to do this?”

Louis sat up in bed, pulling Harry towards him. “Do you love me?” He looked up at him, his eyes shining hopefully even though Harry had made himself very clear as to how much he loved him.

“Of course, you know I do.” He answered.

“Then I’m sure.” Louis leaned forward, joining their lips together. “I want this. I want everything. With you. And if you feel the same -”

“I do.” Harry cut Louis’ sentence off. “I want it all...with you.”

Louis smiled softly. “Then make love to me.”

Harry surged towards Louis, their mouths meeting, their tongues tangling as he eased Louis back on the bed, climbing over and hovering above him.

He broke their kiss to reach for the bottle of lube, his hands shaking. God, he was so nervous. They had been having plenty of sex lately, but Harry wanted to make tonight good for Louis. No. Better than good. Amazing. Memorable. Unforgettable. Tonight was the start of something new in their relationship and Harry didn’t want to fuck it up.

He tried to open the cap, but his hands were trembling so much that he couldn’t. Instead, Louis took the bottle from him. “Hey,” he said, “it’s ok.” He opened it, drizzling some onto his own palm before closing it and heaving it to the side. 

Louis took Harry’s cock into his hand, stroking him gently as Harry looked on, his breathing picking up speed. He groaned loudly as Louis pumped him a few more times, then Harry leaned over and lined himself up, slowly easing inside of Louis.

They both gasped as Harry breached his rim, the tight wet heat of Louis enveloping him, a flow of pleasure and desire taking over him. He gently inched deeper and deeper inside and when he had completely bottomed out, he paused, letting Louis adjust.

Louis had his eyes closed and was holding tightly onto both of Harry’s arms. He opened his eyes as soon as Harry had stopped, locking his gaze onto Harry’s for a moment before nodding. “Ok. You can move.”

Harry pulled back slightly, grinding in little waves before pushing in again as they both watched the other, their eyes full of emotions, full of passion, full of love.

He felt Louis clench around him and took a deep breath to calm himself, not wanting to end this, wanting to hold off for as long as he could.

“Say it,” Louis whispered, watching Harry slowly rock back and forth, his hips snapping as Louis wailed sensually, wrapping his legs around Harry’s waist, forcing him deeper inside. “Say it,” he pleaded

“I. Love. You.” Each word was emphasized with a thrust. “So much. I love you. God Louis, I love you. I love you. I love you.”

He leaned closer, gathering Louis in his arms, their chests touching, their heart beats syncing together. He slowed his pace, lovingly kissing Louis softly. “You are everything that I have ever wanted, everything that I have ever dreamed of, everything that I never knew I could have. Yet you’re real and you’re here and you’re mine.”

He felt the first tear fall as he continued. “You belong to me and I belong to you. My heart belongs to you.” 

Louis closed his arms around Harry’s neck as he kept the unhurried thrusts going. “Don’t stop.” Louis moaned. “Please, please don’t stop.”

“Never.” Harry wasn’t sure exactly what Louis meant - the talking or the thrusting, but he felt Louis tighten around him, almost taking his breath away and continued both. “I’ll never stop loving you, baby. How could I ever stop? You are everything to me. Everything.”

Louis threw his head back, whining, coming for the second time with Harry’s name escaping from his lips again and again. He ground back shakily on Harry's cock, riding off the last remnants of his orgasm.

Harry couldn’t hold back as he watched Louis fall apart again, feeling Louis clench and tighten around him felt indescribable and he was close. He quickened his pace, thrusting as fast as he could, coming inside of Louis with a loud moan as waves of his intense climax hit him. “Fuck!”

They both stopped moving, Harry rested his forehead on Louis', their breathing the only sound in the room, their hearts racing, their bodies relaxing.

Louis brushed the hair out of Harry’s face, lazily smiling up at him, his eyelids heavy and his blue irises glowing.

“You’re amazing. That was amazing. More than amazing.” Harry kissed Louis’ lips, tangling his fingers in his hair as he carefully eased out of Louis. He gave Louis one more kiss before gently climbing out of bed and walked to the bathroom.

After cleaning up and bringing Louis a towel, he got back into bed and under the covers, drawing Louis close to him. Louis rested his head on Harry’s chest, his fingers tracing over the black ink, leaving goosebumps in the wake of touch.

They laid in a tranquil silence for such a long time that Harry thought Louis had fallen asleep. But Louis’ voice broke through the stillness. “I got hooked on the job.”

“Makes sense. You were undercover. You had to blend in.”

“No.” Louis sighed. “It was all me. No one forced me. I loved meth, loved the high.”

“So what happened?” Harry asked, running his fingers through Louis’ hair.

“My supervisor found out, said he’d fire me, blacklist me from the entire department if I didn’t get my act together and get clean. So I checked myself into rehab and begin to detox. It wasn’t easy and there were times that I wanted to quit, to go back and chase the high.”

“Well I’m glad you didn’t. I’m glad that you stuck with it even though it was tough. I’m glad that you got clean. But most of all, I’m glad that you’re here, with me so that we can be together and so that I can love you.”

“Me too,” he replied as he brought his hand under the blanket and began stroking Harry’s cock. Harry's breath hitched as Louis quickened the pace, closing his eyes and throwing his head back slightly. 

“I’m lucky to have you,” Louis whispered softly as climbed up and straddled Harry’s lap. 

Harry wanted to respond, wanted to say that _ he _ was the lucky one. But before he could, Louis lined himself up and sank down slowly inch by inch onto Harry’s cock and the only thing escaping Harry’s mouth was a loud, long moan. 

Louis hovered his lips over Harry’s for a brief moment before their lips met and he began rocking back and forth.

::::::::::

“You understand that this man may very well be Seattle’s next mayor. You need to tread very carefully.”

“We’ve almost got him, Liam. We’re so close.”

“If only the footage from the gas stations had panned out.”

“Louis and I are going to go back out to all the stations but in the meantime I put in a request for the security camera footage from the toll bridge out on route 21. Louis figured out the car’s mileage and realized it wasn’t adding up.”

“How so?”

“He mapped the route from Richmond’s campaign headquarters to the high school to the park and back was only twenty miles, max. According to the car’s odometer, Richmond drove over one hundred miles the night Rosie went missing. So we figured he must’ve taken route 21 back towards the park. Public figure couldn’t risk the city streets at three am, couldn’t risk being recognized, especially with a girl in the trunk. So he had to have taken the long way back, through the back roads. Once we get the camera footage from the bridge we can place him in the car that night.”

The door opened and Louis burst in. “I’ve got it!”

Harry and Liam look up, confusion written all over their faces.

“Something wasn’t right. Why would Richmond fill up the gas tank when it was only half full? Most people fill up when it’s close to empty. So he would have most likely filled up close to the end of the trip. Near Discovery Park or the campaign headquarters parking lot, right?”

He didn’t wait for them to answer, “there’s a gas station on Lowell Street, five miles from the park.”

“That’s not on the list.”

“Because we were looking in the wrong place. Trust me. This is the one.”

“Let me know when you’re ready to make the arrest.” They began walking out. “And guys? Good work.”

::::::::::

“Friday night? You remember a black sedan? Here? Friday night?” Harry asked again, making sure his ears weren’t deceiving him.

“Yeah.”

“You’re sure? Is there security footage that we could take a look at?” Harry silently prayed the answer was ‘yes.

“Do you see any cameras, detective? Man listen, I work every night and not many cars come through here at three in the morning.”

“Did you happen to see the driver?”

“No but it drove off like a bat outta hell. Probably on account of the girl screaming.”

Harry and Louis looked at each other, then back to the elderly gas station attendant. “Girl?” Louis’ voice was high and unsteady.

“Yeah. I was in the back doing inventory when I heard her yelling. I went up front and the car was already flying outta here.”

“And you were in the back of the garage? When you heard her?” Harry began looking around the crowded building, trying to see if he could find a back door.

“Yeah. Listen I gotta get back to work. Anything else you need?”

“No. Thank you for your time.”

They began walking through the garage until they found the door and opened it. Outside was a yard, cluttered with old tires and spare car parts. Past a pile of rusted mufflers was a trail which lead to a chain link fence that surrounded the yard. A hole had been cut out of the fence and Harry approached it, looking out onto acres and acres of trees and grass.

Louis came up behind him, holding a map in his hands. He gave it to Harry. “Three miles north of here is Discovery Park.”

::::::::::

The K9 unit started at the gas station. Harry and Louis watched as officers and dogs canvassed the yard and worked their way through the fence and across the field.

“He stopped for gas and she was somehow able to get out of the car and run away.” Harry stated as he followed the K9 officers into the densely covered forest.

“Then what?” Louis tried to keep up with him, but Harry seemed to be a man on a mission and was picking up his pace.

“She was wounded, scared.”

“It’s at least three miles from the gas station. If she was running, that would explain why her foot was all cut up.”

“She was out here a long time. Alone, cold. Might’ve taken all night.” Harry turned to Louis. “He hunted her.”

“Detectives?”

They turned to find a member of the K9 team motioning to something in the grass. They got closer and saw that it was a pink sneaker. “That matches the one we found on Rosie’s body. Bag it and mark it as evidence.” Harry ordered before walking towards a small clearing.

Louis followed him. “Hey. You alright?”

“She ran into the field behind the gas station, thinking she would be able to get away, to get help. But his car cut her off at the fire road, so she turned into the woods. If she had just turned the other way and headed west, she would’ve come up on lights, on a neighborhood, on people. If she had just turned the other way she would’ve made it. She would have lived.”

Louis wrapped his arms around him, holding him close.

“She would have lived, Louis.”

::::::::::

“Was that Gwen Eaton that I just saw walking down the hallway? What was she doing here?”

Liam had just entered Harry and Louis’ office.

“She just dismantled Richmond’s alibi. He claimed he couldn’t sleep the night that Rosie Larsen went missing and said he was going for a drive. According to Gwen, he was gone at least three hours.”

“Which is our window of opportunity,” Louis added.

“You still don’t have any concrete evidence placing Richmond in that car that night.”

“Oh come on Liam!” Harry threw up his hands in frustration. “His own girlfriend thinks that he did it. Gave up his alibi and everything!”

“And why? Why now?” Liam asked.

“Maybe she’s ready to jump ship just like Jamie Wright did? Who cares why? Point is, Richmond is our guy. I can feel it.”

“You cannot go off half-cocked on a man like this, you know that,” Liam warned.

“Detectives. Lieutenant.” A tech was standing in the doorway holding what appeared to look like a photograph. “We have the footage from Desolation Bridge.”

Harry rushed over, taking it from him and staring at it before handing it to Louis, who studied it briefly then held it out for Liam to take.

Once Liam had looked over the picture all three men stared at each other in disbelief.

Liam took another look before speaking. “It’s time-stamped three am Saturday morning, five hours after Rosie Larsen left the Halloween dance and went missing. The plates match the campaign car her body was found in. Congratulations, you’ve got your man.”

There _ was _ a man behind the steering wheel of the car in the picture. Only it wasn’t Darren Richmond driving the campaign car - it was Jamie Wright.

::::::::::

“Detectives? He’s ready.”

They stood and walked down the long corridor into the hospital room where Jamie Wright had been in a coma for three days.

His eyes fluttered open as Harry and Louis each stood on one side of his bed.

“What happened?” Jamie asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Harry crossed his arms. “What’s the last thing you remember?” 

“Darren and I...were...we were arguing...about...Rosie Larsen.” He paused. “We were arguing about Rosie Larsen.”

“Tell us what happened Jamie.”

_ Jamie first noticed Rosie Larsen at one of the debates Fort Washington High School hosted, between councilman Darren Richmond and Mayor Lesley Adams. She had asked each of them how they planned to make the skatepark safer for children and he was immediately smitten with her. _

_ He began finding excuses to go to the high school - he volunteered to give speeches on the election process considering most high school seniors were eighteen or were able to turn eighteen and would be voting very soon. He had offered to sponsor the Future Politicians of America club that she wanted to start at the school. He even tried to recruit her to volunteer on Darren Richmond’s mayoral campaign. _

_He always sought Rosie out - striking up conversations about what colleges she was going to apply to and what she wanted to be when she got older. Asking her over and over again to join their campaign. Offering to write her a letter of recommendation for her college applications._

_They were walking out of the school together late one evening after a club interest meeting when Jamie asked her out on a date. Although she seemed hesitant at first, she ultimately agreed._

_ Their date ended with a kiss. So had their second date. And their third. By the time they had gone on their fifth date, Jamie was completely infatuated with Rosie and they were soon having an affair. _

_He knew he needed to stop it - he was older, he was married and he was expecting a baby. But most importantly - she was a minor. _

_ He just couldn’t let her go, she made him feel something he hadn’t felt since he and his wife had first began dating. He felt wanted._

_ Jamie soon became addicted to Rosie and began spending all of his free time with her and she in turn began lying to her parents, claiming she was hanging out with Sterling. And by constantly using Sterling as a cover-up, their friendship began to fracture little by little._

_ His wife was the one who discovered their affair the Thursday before Rosie disappeared. She was driving past the Days Inn hotel when she saw Jamie standing next to his car in the parking lot. As she got closer she witnessed Jamie kissing someone who wasn’t his wife._

_ She pulled into the parking lot as Rosie drove off and immediately confronted him. He confessed everything - how he sought Rosie out, how they began having an affair, how he was in love with her._

_ She didn’t care. “End it Jamie. Now. This is the last thing that we need right now. You are about the become Seattle’s second in command. We are about to have a baby. Do not fuck this up for us._

_ “I don’t think I can._

_ “You don’t have a choice.” She warned._

_ The following afternoon he texted Rosie asking if they could get together. She wrote back, from the phone that he had bought just for her, claiming he didn’t want her parents to find their texts and pictures. She told him that she would be at the dance with Sterling but he could pick her up from the high school._

_ And so while Sterling was distracted, she slipped out of the building and into Jamie’s car._

_ He had had every intention of ending things. He tried, several times, but he took one look at her and couldn’t do it. He needed her. Wanted her. Loved her._

_ He drove them to a hotel when they wound up having sex and then he began driving her home. _

_On the way he attempted again to break up with her, which didn’t go over very well and they began arguing. He tried to pay her off, suggested he give her money to keep her quiet. That just enraged her even more. _

_ She threatened to call the cops, call the press, destroy him, his career, Richmond’s campaign. He hit her to shut her up and when he stopped for gas she got out of the car, yelling for help._

_ She ran behind the garage and took off towards the woods. He flew out of the gas station and in the direction she went. _

_He saw her running across the fire road, parked the car and sprinted after her. He chased her through the woods, caught her and knocked her out with his flashlight._

_ He opened the trunk of the car and stuffed her inside. He saw the bottle of ammonium hydroxide and poured it all over her hands, trying to rid her body of any trace of himself. He took the phone that he had given her and smashed it on the ground before burying it deep in the woods. _

_ He then pushed the car into the lake and watched as the water engulfed it, dragging it to the bottom._

_ Jamie told his wife that he had broken up with Rosie and she had run away. But then Harry and Louis shown up at their door asking about Jamie’s alibi and she knew what he had done._

_ She didn’t know what else to do. Devastated and confused, she went to Darren Richmond and told him everything. He told her not to worry, that he would take care of everything._

_ He waited until all of the staff had left the office for the night and then confronted Jamie about his backstabbing, about his alliance with Mayor Adams, about his leaking information to the press, but most importantly - about Rosie Larsen’s murder._

_ “She wouldn’t listen. I didn’t know what to do. I tried to reason with her. I tried so hard to make her understand. But I panicked, Darren...I just panicked. She was gonna ruin everything. It was an accident.”_

_ “She was alive when she went into that lake. Is that what you call an accident?”_

_ “I thought she was dead. Look, Darren, I was only thinking of you.”_

_ “Of me? Cut the bullshit, Jamie! Did you know that Gwen thinks I killed Rosie Larsen? She went to the police and told them she lied about where I was on the night you killed Rosie. I’ve lost her, I’ve lost the election. So tell me, how exactly were you thinking of me while you were killing a 17 year-old girl? You know who you were thinking of? Yourself!”_

_ Darren turned to leave his office, Jamie running to the doorway to block him. “Darren! Wait! Please, wait. Look, I didn’t want to do it but when I have to do something, I do it! I always do it. Everything that I’ve ever done has been for you, Darren! You want to be an idealist, go plant a tree. But if you want to be a leader you have to be willing to get blood on your hands.”_

_ Darren pulled out a gun. “Like this?” He asked before firing and hitting Jamie in the chest._

Harry and Louis left Jamie’s hospital room after taking his statement. 

“So now what?” Louis asked as they approached Harry’s car.

“Well, we have Jamie for Rosie’s murder and Richmond for attempted murder, so we’ll have to go down to the station and -”

“I meant with_ us_, Harry.” Harry didn’t answer, so Louis continued. “The case is closed. So, where does that leave us? Are you still going to California? Are you still going to leave me?”

Louis’ voice sounded so small, so quiet and it was breaking Harry’s heart.

How could he possibly leave? He loved Louis but Louis was in Seattle, so that meant that Harry needed to stay in Seattle. But would he? Could he?

“Can we just not talk about that for right now? Can we just go home and not talk about anything for a little bit?”

Louis nodded, climbing into the car and shutting the door.

Somehow he felt as though Louis had just shut the door on their relationship.

::::::::::

“Is Louis home?”

Harry shook his head. “No, not since last night.” He said softly, leading Liam into the kitchen.

“Everything ok?”

“I...I’m not sure. I love Louis and want to be with him. I just...I don’t think I can stay here. We got into a fight again last night about California and he stormed out after dinner and never came home. Now he’s not answering my texts or calls. I’m so scared that he’s done something to jeopardize his sobriety.”

“It’s obvious that Louis loves you and I doubt he would do anything to lose you. Maybe he just needed to decompress after closing the case? It was his first murder invesitigation after all,” Liam suggested.

Harry let out a pained chuckle. “It’s been five days since we closed the Rosie Larsen case, he’s had plenty of time to decompress. Maybe he’s thinking of ways to break up with me?”

“Give him time, being co-leads on such an important case had to have taken its toll on the both of you. Add in your relationship and it’s a lot to handle. But like I said, it’s clear that he’s head over heels for you. And I know for a fact that he’s not going to break up with you - you two were made for each other, anyone can see that. Things will work out, I’m sure of it. Could you give this to him for me?” Liam handed Harry a manilla folder, pausing for a moment. “I’m really going to miss you.”

“Yeah. I’m going to miss you too.” Liam showed himself out after giving Harry one last hug.

As Harry tossed the folder onto the kitchen table a piece of paper fell out and dropped to the floor.

Harry bent down and couldn’t help but read it as he picked it up.

“What the -”

He heard the front door slam and a moment later Louis walked into the kitchen. He stopped when he saw the confused look on Harry’s face.

“What’s this?” He asked, handing the piece of paper to Louis.

“Oh. Umm. Well...I kind of...quit the force.”

“Why? Why would you do something like that?

“For you.” Louis shrugged. “I did it for you. Well, for us really.”

Harry opened his mouth to say something, but closed it, staring at Louis in disbelief, silence falling over them. Louis actually quit the force? After he had worked so hard to get clean and stay clean so that he could keep his job? He loved his job. This didn’t make any sense.

“Look.” Louis put the paper down, reaching out to take Harry’s hands in his. “I love you. I want to be with you. I cannot even imagine how difficult it was for you to stay in Seattle to see the Larsen case to the end. I saw what it did to you and I don’t ever want to see you go through that ever again. So you need to leave Seattle.” Harry began to interrupt before Louis stopped him. “It’s ok, really. You need to get out and I completely understand that you do. But I need to be with you, there’s no way that I could ever live without you. So where you go, I go.”

Harry could feel the tears welling in his eyes. Louis was willing to give up everything for him - his job, his apartment, his life, his family.

“What about your sisters? I know how much you want to regain their trust and you can’t do that if you move away.”

“Well, Lottie and I have actually been texting recently. She moved out and has been making some decisions on her own now that she’s no longer under my parent’s influence. And she’s decided that she’d like to give me another chance.”

“Louis!” Harry threw his arms around Louis’ neck. “That is amazing! Oh I know how much this means to you. But if you’re just getting reacquainted with her, do you really want to move away?”

Louis pulled back, looking into Harry’s eyes. “She’s the one who actually helped me decide. She told me that I needed to follow my heart.” He reached out and caressed Harry’s face. “And my heart is yours. It belongs to you. Since I need to follow it, I need to follow you. And so if you go to California, then that means I go to California.”

Harry brushed his lips over Louis’ for a brief kiss. “About that. I was wondering if we could go somewhere besides California.”

Louis’ brows began to crease. “You _ don’t _want to go to California?”

He shrugged. “Maybe someday. I know that the world is vast. And I know that I want to see it all. With you. I want to see it all with you. But I was kind of hoping we could go to Montana first.”

“To see your mom?”

Harry nodded. “Yeah. I think it’s time that I see her and I would really love it if you’d come with me.”

“We can go wherever you want to go. And if that means Montana, then Montana it is.

Harry leaned forward, their lips meeting. “Wherever I want to go?” He kissed Louis again, his lip curling into a small smirk. “In that case, there’s been a change of plans. Bed first. Then Montana.”

He watched as a smile slowly crept across Louis’ face, reaching his eyes and creating tiny crinkles in the corners. Eyes that had once held sorrow, held sadness, held grief. Eyes that now held hope, held love, held the future.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> My prompt was #40 The Killing AU.
> 
> To the original prompter - you let me have a lot of leeway with this prompt, hopefully I've done a good job and have made you proud!


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